Shay Nelson, daughter of Karen Overington, with family members at the new Karen Overington play space, which was recently opened in honour of the late MP.
A Sebastopol playground has been refurbished and named in honour of the work of the late former Ballarat West MP, Karen Overington.
The Karen Overington Play Space at Victory Park was opened recently by Ballarat MP Catherine King, Ballarat Mayor John Burt and the family of Ms Overington.
Her daughter, Shae Nelson, said Ms Overington would have been excited to have the play space named after her.
The family used to live just four doors away from the park.
“She didn’t do it for recognition of what she did,” she said.
Ms Overington died in 2011 at the age of 59 after a long illness. She held the seat of Ballarat West from 1999 to 2010.
She was also a councillor with the Borough of Sebastopol, where she served as mayor, and the City of Ballarat.
She also wasn’t a person for over-the-top recognition, said Ms Nelson, meaning a local playground was perfectly suited.
“It shows that people respected what she did. It shows how much of an understanding there was about what she was like,” she said.
The park also has connections across generations. Ms Nelson said her mother and father used to take their grandchildren to the park after daycare.
“We think she’d be pleased that she’d been recognised at the park that we grew up in.”
Although Ms Nelson does not live in the area anymore, she said it would always be a home to her.