Ballarat Bridge Mall redevelopment: Questions over new playground placement

The current playground, in the centre of the mall on the northern side, is a popular spot for children and their parents, particularly at the bustling monthly farmers markets.

As part of the $15 million reopening of the street, the much-loved playground is on the move.

The current plan is to build the bridge-themed playspace, which includes seating for adults and a barrier against the re-introduced traffic, on the opposite side, near Time Lane.

It'll feature natural play materials as well as a climbing structure, with transparent mesh in the main structure to improve visibility to nearby shopfronts.

Despite council releasing final plans for the mall's redevelopment in June, some traders are still questioning whether it's the right position for the playground

While many are in support of the redevelopment, in the hope that it will bring foot traffic and new businesses to the mall, there are questions about the disruption to businesses that are already there.

Some expressed concern the playground would take up space currently used for outdoor dining - council has included spaces and seating for dining as well as meeting places along the mall in the full design - while others worry about the safety of children with cars going past.

The redevelopment hasn't gone out to tender yet, but when the final designs were released, council was explicit in stating early construction will begin this year, with major construction to begin after Christmas to avoid major disruptions to traders.

One trader, Capri Cafe's Michael Moussi, has been in the Bridge Mall "on-and-off" for 45 years.

He said he remembers the bustle of Bridge Street when it was last reopened to traffic, but "something has happened in the last four or five years".

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The shopping strip is in need of attention, but he is concerned the final design does not provide enough space for outdoor dining, and the playground will "block" the street for people trying to cross the road.

"We're hoping it's going to work, but the way it's designed, I'm sorry, I'm not for it," he said.

"The playground should stay where it is at the moment.

"We are pleased to have it worked through, but do it properly."

The City of Ballarat's development and growth director Natalie Robertson said in a statement the playground was placed in the centre to "maximise the draw of people and create a focal point" for an "overall benefit for businesses".

"The play space includes incorporated shelter, seating for adults and waiting areas for those who have made purchases along the retail strip and is positioned to catch sunshine in winter and provide protection during the hot summer months," she said.

"The location weighs up a wide range of considerations, including research into how the space is used, stakeholder views, technical design considerations and vision for the space.

1. Is it accurate that tenders may not go out until the end of the year/beginning of 2023? If not, when will they go out? If so, what's the hold up?

The next stage of the Bridge Street redevelopment is the documentation stage.

This involves the preparation of the most detailed plans that will be used for tendering and construction. This includes things like design of pavements, locations of electrical wiring and other services.

Those plans will then be released for tender seeking contractors to undertake the works.

Depending on when the detailed plans are finalised, the tender can then be released - which is expected late 2022/early 2023.

2. Who was consulted on the playground design and placement? Were traders included in this consultation?

The City of Ballarat has worked closely with the traders, property owners and stakeholders on the design and placement of the play space.

We hold regular monthly meetings with traders to keep them informed of the latest developments and to listen to any feedback and suggestions they may have. We also have an officer located at the City of Ballarat shop in Coliseum Walk, Bridge Mall, who talks to traders daily.

The final designs are the result of a three-stage extensive community consultation process, hearing feedback from across the community over a two-year period from 2020.

The community expressed a lot of interest in creating a meeting place where children and young people could play safely, and their carers could stop and sit comfortably. This feedback resulted in the design of a creative play space which would bring people to Bridge Street, drawing customers into the area and extending their length of stay. This supports the idea of creating a destination in the heart of the city.

The play space is an exciting feature of the Bridge Street redevelopment. The concept design for this specialist piece of the project will continue to be refined in the coming months.

Inspired by a bridge-like structure, the concept design for the play space shows multiple levels of access, challenge and playful adventure for children of all abilities.

With a barrier integrated into the design, the play space provides a secure zone for play and exploration. The space can also be illuminated, helping to transform the precinct after dusk.

3. In short - why is the playground in front of a set of existing businesses that offer coffee or food and will lose space to put tables outside their businesses? How much space will they have?

The play space will be located in the centre of Bridge Street to maximise the draw of people and provide a focal point that creates an overall benefit for businesses.

The play space includes incorporated shelter, seating for adults and waiting areas for those who have made purchases along the retail strip and is positioned to catch sunshine in winter and provide protection during the hot summer months.

The location weighs up a wide range of considerations, including research into how the space is used, stakeholder views, technical design considerations and vision for the space.

4. Were any other locations suggested for the playground? Why were they ruled out? What was the process for selecting this location?

Designing a space is a complex process. There has been a long journey considering both the play space and everything around it as to how they best fit together. The final location is considered to be the best location in Bridge Street - it maximises the draw of people and provides a focal point that creates an overall benefit for businesses.

5. How will the playground design ensure children aren't in any danger from cars?

The play space is designed to protect children with a barrier integrated into the design, providing a secure zone for play and exploration. Safety is of the utmost importance for this and all aspects of the design.

6. How will the playground design ensure businesses are visible from the new street?

The play space will draw new people into the area and encourage those who already go there to stay longer and ideally spend more. The play space design carefully considers how to maximise the benefits to businesses and its design will only increase visibility of those businesses to prospective customers.

The play space is not designed to be one solid piece. It features transparency through the arches and materials to provide sightlines across the street and minimise any impacts on the visibility of business frontages.

7. How much of the $15 million allocated to the project will the playground cost?

The concept design for this specialist piece of the project will continue to be refined in the coming months. These designs are the final concept designs for the Bridge Street play space, subject to the tender being advertised and awarded. This will determine the costs and what we are able to achieve within our budget.

8. Is there a detailed design for how the new street will integrate with Main Road?

The Precinct Plans adopted by Council in March 2021 outline the future opportunity to integrate into Main Road. However, these are future works and not part of the Stage 1 implementation currently underway. The $15 million budget covers upgrades to the mall between Grenville and Peel Streets, Grenville Street between Curtis and Little Bridge Street, with minor access and safety improvements to pockets of Little Bridge Street.

9. What are the "smart poles" in the design map handout?

The Bridge Street redevelopment features smart street lighting which will be used for evening lighting and can also be used for facade projections to enhance the area at night. These projections will use the buildings in Bridge Street as a canvas for creative activations as well as providing CCTV, data and other connectivity to the area.

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