Case study: White Flat Recreation Reserve Community Safety Improvements

The City of Ballarat has delivered a much‐needed safety boost to White Flat Recreation Reserve so it feels safer to exercise, particularly at night.

The City of Ballarat received a $187,720 Public Safety Infrastructure Fund grant for the project which has improved the public facility and space. It plays an important role in helping residents maintain their physical and mental wellbeing.

The upgrade includes five new CCTV cameras to improve surveillance of the reserve’s sporting facilities, clubrooms and toilets.  The grant also enabled eight carpark lights to be installed and nine new lights to illuminate adjoining pathways, in addition to new benches and landscaping improvements.

Community consultation on the White Flat Recreation Reserve Plan in 2016 identified a number of resident and user group safety concerns, including:

• drug dealing
• loitering around the grandstand
• burnouts at night
• poor lighting and visibility
• potholes
• poor design.

Police conducted a precinct safety audit and made a number of recommendations to council, such as:

• car parking improvements
• clear definition of pedestrian areas
• better lighting
• CCTV installation
• public toilet upgrades
• clear emergency services access points
• traffic calming measures.

The project has improved the environmental quality, minimised crime opportunities and encouraged more active travel through, and recreation in, the reserve. It has also improved pedestrian connections and increased safety perceptions, further positioning the reserve as the home of women’s football in Ballarat.

The project was completed in early 2020.

Achievements

The completion of the White Flat Recreation Reserve project has resulted in several positive outcomes.

The level and nature of crime and safety problems experienced by community members, residents and reserve users has diminished. This is reflected in decreased community requests to the City of Ballarat regarding reserve issues, such as graffiti and anti‐social behaviour.

Community members have reported feeling safer spending time in the area following the site improvements. There has been a significant increase in satisfaction with the reserve’s overall appearance.

Strong community and user group engagement has been a key feature and success of the project.

The profile gained as a result of the project has led to funding being secured to address road safety and carpark amenity concerns identified by community and user groups.

The Building Safer Communities Program has replaced the previous grants programs, including the Public Safety Infrastructure Fund. The program's Stream 1 - Creating Safer Places - provides grant funding for urban design projects. Find out more about the Building Safer Communities Program.