Shakespeare Street, North Carlton

The mural facing the mini park was painted in 2018. The text "Little but Fierce" is taken from William Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and was suggested by a local resident. The full wording is: "And though she be but little, she is fierce". Shakespeare Street has an interesting history. The houses were built in the 1870s and 1880s and the scout hall on the north side was added in 1929. The street was identified as a "slum pocket" by the Housing Investigation and Slum Abolition Board in 1936-37. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Housing Commission of Victoria condemned five cottages on the south side (nos. 7 to 15 inclusive) as unfit for human habitation. The cottages were demolished in January 1970, leaving a vacant space ready for development. Residents and concerned citizens took action, at their own expense, against plans for the inappropriate building of a block of cluster flats. They entered into an agreement with the City of Melbourne to buy the land and created a mini park for the benefit and enjoyment of the community. More information: http://www.cchg.asn.au/small.html#Shakespeare

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