By ANNA USHER

Every suburb has them, the unofficial shortcuts known only to locals.

In Mosman, one of those well-worn routes has existed for years between Vista Street and Myahgah Mews. Residents regularly found their way through the private property of 11 Myahgah Road to save themselves a longer walk, creating an informal pedestrian connection that quietly became part of the neighbourhood’s daily routine.

Now, thanks to the completion of the new Reverie development at 25 Myahgah Road, this unofficial cut through has been replaced with a new permanent public laneway, and it may be one of the most practical community improvements delivered to Mosman in recent years.

The new pedestrian link provides a direct connection between Vista Street and Myahgah Mews, lining up neatly with Council’s public car park on Vista Street and making it easier for locals to move between the town centre, nearby services and Allan Border Oval.

What’s particularly interesting is that the laneway wasn’t something Council required. Helm, the developer of Reverie, recognised the long-standing demand for the connection and voluntarily offered to create the public link as part of the development.

In doing so, Helm dedicated approximately 160 square metres of land to Council at no cost and funded the construction and landscaping of the laneway. The combined value of those contributions is estimated to exceed $1 million.

For residents, however, the value may be measured less in dollars and more in saved footsteps.

“It’s one of those improvements that feels obvious once it’s there,” said one nearby resident while inspecting the newly completed link. “People have wanted a connection between these streets for years.”

The new pathway is just one piece of a much larger package of public benefits delivered through the Reverie project.

In total, more than $3.5 million has been invested in community infrastructure and public domain improvements associated with the development.

Among the most significant upgrades was the undergrounding of power lines along Vista Street. The works extend beyond the development frontage and continue past the heritage listed Mosman Art Gallery and Community Centre, helping to improve one of the area’s most prominent civic streetscapes. These works were again undertaken voluntarily by Helm.

Additional community improvements include:

Upgrades to water main infrastructure along Vista Street, benefiting properties between Reverie and Military Road.

Construction of new footpaths, kerb and guttering, together with street tree planting along Vista Street.

New footpath paving and additional street tree planting along Myahgah Road.

The creation of the new public laneway linking Vista Street and Myahgah Road.

While apartment buildings often attract attention for what is being built behind their front doors, projects like Reverie highlight another side of development, the public infrastructure that remains long after construction crews have packed up and moved on.

So next time you’re heading to the Vista Street car park, walking to the shops or simply taking the dog for a stroll, keep an eye out for Mosman’s newest shortcut.

Chances are it will quickly become your favourite way through the neighbourhood.

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• A sponsored article by the team at Helm Developments, in support of local news.