GOLD STREET PARK, FRANCISCO STREET

Statement of Significance

Gold Street Park has historic and social significance. The lot was set aside as a public reserve shortly after the area was subdivided for residential development. Although it was not developed as a park for many years, it was one of the few public areas in the neighbourhood. Community and government worked together in the 1980s to improve the park and turn it into a playground for local families.

Physical Description

Bounded by Gold and Francisco Streets the park is largely grassed and has playground equipment.

History

Francisco Street is named after Alexander Francisco, who was associated with Lionel Samson & Son. He later conducted a spirit merchant’s business of his own, and held the position of postmaster. He was also on the Fremantle Town Trust in 1848, 1857-63 and again 1865-66. Francisco Street was developed in the late 1890s.
The section of Gold Street running between Mandurah Road (South Terrace) and Francisco Street was gazetted as George Street on 2 September 1904. The land formed a part of a large block owned by Henry Briggs, then President of the Legislative Council.
George (Gold) Street was constructed in 1905 at a cost of ₤250. By 1908, a public reserve had been earmarked at the intersection of Francisco Street and George Street.
George Street was renamed Gold Street in circa 1921.
As the port city developed, local demand for public areas for recreation increased; however, there remained very few open spaces reserved for this purpose. Undeveloped areas still existed in Fremantle, but residents did not have the right to play games or plant trees there. It is uncertain when the park at the intersection of Gold Street and Francisco Street was officially gazetted, but it was undoubtedly one of the few open spaces available for use as a park in the vicinity.
Over the years Gold Street Park fell into a state of disarray, until local residents took it in hand and began the process of transforming the ‘vacant lot with two rusty swings, a dead tree and a lot of broken glass’ into a usable playground. Construction began in the early 1980s, employing grants from the Fremantle City Council for equipment and volunteer local labour.
The revitalisation of Gold Street Park was result of the work of Alross Whittington, an advisor for the ‘Playgrounds on Demand Organisation’, which had been established for some years by the Federal Government.
Working together, the local community and the Government body staged workshops to encourage local residents to become involved in the project and subsequently planned the layout of the park. As a result of the planning, the layout of the surrounding streets was changed to create a cul-de-sac that virtually doubled the size of the park.
This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Red: "Significantly contributing to the unique character of Fremantle") It was also identified in 'Fremantle's Landscape: A Study for the Municipal Inventory' as being of cultural heritage significance'.

Uses

Historic Themes

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