Community members have identified almost 70 locations where they feel either safe or unsafe in Ballarat's health and medical precinct as part of a project to create safer public spaces.
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City of Ballarat's Right to the Night project is open for community input until May 31, asking people to share information about what makes them feel safe or unsafe in specific locations.
More than 52 locations have been marked as areas where people feel unsafe.
One hospital employee said she felt unsafe walking in the dark after a late shift back to her car a number of blocks away on Mair Street where she could get an all day park when the hospital car park was full.
A significant number of responses were from hospital employees expressing similar concerns about walking long distances to their cars at night after a shift.
One resident said they felt unsafe on Mair Street due to the lack of street lights or street lights hidden by trees and often groups of young people walking the street to student accommodation.
The City of Ballarat has utilised Right to the Night data to inform decision-making around the design of public spaces in Ballarat and the delivery of smart lighting for car parks.
- Cr Daniel Moloney
One resident said they felt 'extremely' unsafe as a pedestrian crossing the Webster Street and Drummond Street North roundabout as cars often sped through.
They said there should be a pedestrian crossing for use by school children and hospital staff.
More than 20 locations have been marked as places where people feel safe, including around Webster's Cafe because of high levels of early morning and daytime activity.
One person wrote they felt much safer in Ballarat, including around the hospital, than in Melbourne where they had previously lived.
The Right to the Night health and medical precinct project follows a project in 2018 covering the CBD.
The 2018 project was recognised in the Australian Local Government Association Awards for innovation in liveable and collaborative communities.
City of Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney said council had used the Right to the Night data to inform decision-making around the design of public spaces in Ballarat.
He said it also helped decision making in the delivery of smart lighting for car parks, providing evidence for CCTV grant applications and better lighting at women's sporting facilities.
Monash University's XYX Lab and CrowdSpot launched a similar project in April called Your Ground, encouraging people to mark where they felt safe and unsafe and why around state, including Ballarat.
The collaboration will provide a report and outcomes to the City of Ballarat once the project is complete.
Cr Moloney said council would use the geospatial data collected through both projects to inform place based decision making.
"It will also be used to advocate for improved safety in public spaces and seek state and federal funding to improve safety within the health and medical precinct and parks, recreation reserves and public open spaces," he said.
Visit mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au/right-to-the-night-health-and-medical-precinct-project to share your thoughts on safety in the health and medical precinct before consultation closes on May 31.
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Rochelle Kirkham
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
Rochelle covers court and has a particular interest in social issues including homelessness, food security and family violence.
