Melbourne has Victoria’s first lieutenant-governor, Charles La Trobe, to thank for the city’s substantial inner-ring parks; it was his vision that made Melbourne a garden city.

But many of these parks are now facing a shadowy threat.

How nearby buildings overshadow Gardiner Reserve on winter afternoons. Credit:Melbourne City Council

“La Trobe would be turning in his grave if he knew how much sunlight is now at risk of being lost in Melbourne’s parks,” says Melbourne City Council’s planning chair, Nick Reece.

Gardiner Reserve in North Melbourne is home to the suburb’s busiest playground.