Right to the Night: Ballarat hospital precinct safety in focus

City of Ballarat's right to the Night Project has been extended to the medical precinct for everyone to share where they feel safe and unsafe in a bid to create change.

The precinct has long been an issue for BHS and the City, with hospital staff continuously voicing concerns for long walks to their cars after dark under tightening street parking restrictions and time limits from the City.

BHS people and culture executive director Claire Woods said this was incredibly important feedback for the City. Ms Woods said terrible events like the deaths of Sarah Everard in London this month, or Jill Meagher in Melbourne in 2012, were tragic reminders for safety on all streets.

"These initiatives are really important. They were young women who were walking home doing what is a right not a privilege," Ms Woods said. "Feeling safe and being safe is incredibly important for the whole community and something the whole community needs to be part of the solution to this."

These sentiments were echoed by City Of Ballarat mayor Daniel Moloney who said the project was one step in what should be a whole of community response.

"No-one should feel unsafe in their community and no-one should make anyone feel unsafe in the process too," Cr Moloney said. "If we can do little things to make people feel safe, like infrastructure, then we should but to do so equally in our attitudes and our behaviours. We should keep on improving that too so people do feel comfortable in their community."

Right to the Night will allow people of all ages and genders a chance to pin-point on digital maps where they feel safe and unsafe in the area and detail why. Listening posts will also be in place at BHS Base Hospital and St John of God Ballarat Hospital the next there months, allowing people a chance to speak with City of Ballarat representatives.

Hospital staff, visitors, carers, volunteers and people who live and work in the precinct are encouraged to share their opinion.

This follow the City of Ballarat's Right to the Night project for women and girls in 2018, which was recognised in the Australian Local Government Association Awards for innovation in livable and collaborative communities.

City of Ballarat infrastructure changes made in the wake of the 2018 survey included smart lighting for car parks, improved lighting for female football facilities at White Flat Oval and a pedestrian crossing outside the Base Hospital's Drummond Street entrance. Cr Moloney said the data still influenced council decision-making.

"By pin-pointing, these things advance to a whole lot of other things, like where street lights might be placed. It's really good useful data to keep on improving and making area safer," Cr Moloney said.

"...When nighttime falls it's making sure right lighting in the right places, making sure not too many dark spots especially around areas where people move. Often these are really small improvements that have a big impact on how people feel."

IN OTHER NEWS

The hospital precinct in focus is the area bounded by, but not definitively contained to, Pleasant, Eyre, Webster and Mair streets and Creswick Road.

Right to the Night data will be conducted until May in association with Ballarat Health Services, St John of God Hospital, Ballarat Community Health, Federation University, Women's Health Grampians, Victoria Police, Deakin University, and Central Highlands Primary Care Partnership.

Have your say at mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au.

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