Cinderella is going to the ball!
If we compare the story of Cinderella to Victoria Park, I think Vic Park is at that part of the story where the handsome Prince is caressing her shapely calf and just about to slide the glass slipper onto Cinder’s foot.
Vic Park is about to find out that the slipper fits and it really can be a beautiful process.
This is a coming of age story, a story of expectation finally fulfilled.
Vic Park and it’s lengthy strip perhaps for too long, have dreamt of other places and coveted others’ success.
Phrases like “The Next Subiaco” were wistfully and wishfully uttered. But I don’t hear this anymore. The good burghers of Vic Park have made a gigantic emotional leap – it’s ok to be us! We have cast off the insecurities of the past and embraced our existing, very diverse selves.
Even better, others – outsiders, have decided that it’s OK for us to be us! Confirmation!
Now the whispering is in the other suburbs. Discovering this phenomena, this lengthy strip of perceptually infinite restaurants, of cafe nooks, of Hansel and Gretal cottages and trees – yes a suburb with trees!
So what has changed? How have we become the “It girl”. The stars have aligned. Near city suburb. Walkability. Diversity. Gentrification of housing stock. Upwardly mobile demographic. A multitude of government and private dollars being spent on projects in and around the eastern arc of the CBD. Zoning increasing density and population. A perfect storm of opportunity, change and a healthy injection of capital.
So if you have your piece of the Vic Park Life, your slice of the Vic Park pie, hang on for the ride. And if you don’t…hurry up! Make a decision.
Procrastination is the theft of time and you may just miss out on your Cinderella moment.
Derek Baston.
