Ballarat’s Neighbourhood parks upgraded

Five local parks are set to be upgraded this summer, as part of the Small Parks Development Program.  

Local company SHAE Enterprises have been awarded the tender to complete the upgrades at five neighbourhood reserves.  

The community helped shape their local parks in September 2022 and from this feedback the final designs have been prepared.  

Full designs can be viewed on the City of Ballarat’s MySay page here.  

The five parks to be improved as part of this tender include:  

• Cuthberts Road Reserve, Cuthberts Road, Alfredton  
• Vale Street Park, Vale Street, Alfredton  
• Horsham Crescent Reserve, Horsham Crescent, Alfredton  
• Hearn Road Reserve, Hearn Road, Brown Hill  
• College Street Reserve, College Street, Wendouree

Works are expected to commence in December 2023 at Cuthberts Road and College Street reserves.

At Cuthberts Road Reserve, in Alfredton some of the upgrades include:  

• Replacement of the playspace to include climbing structure, swings and spinner
• Construction of a path to connect to the play area and a looping path around the reserve
• Installation of multi-sports goals
• Additional tree plantings

And at College Street Reserve, in Wendouree, the improvements include:

• New play equipment, including swings
• Additional tree plantings  
• Installation of seating near the play equipment  
• New shelter with picnic seating and more

Works on the three other parks included in this tender will commence in early 2024.

Construction at the Vale Street Park, in Alfredton includes:  

• Creation of a path from the street to the play area
• Additional tree planting to increase shade
• Garden beds to be planted for nature play

Horsham Crescent Reserve, in Alfredton will see upgrades such as:  

• Construction of nature play area  
• Installation of seating near play areas  
• Addition of an in-ground trampoline at the existing playspace

And at the Hearn Road Reserve in Brown Hill there will be:  

• Construction of a concrete path through the park  
• Installation of a shelter over existing picnic setting  
• Planting of trees along the boundary and more  

Most plantings for the local parks will take place in autumn during the planting season.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said it was great to work with the users of these parks to create a space for them.  

“Now that we have reached a final design outcome for the reserves, we can now begin implementing these changes for the local communities,” he said.  

“Some of these parks haven’t seen changes in decades. They need some love and care to be able to bring them up to a consistent standard that the community needs.”  

The second group of local parks in the program are expected to be constructed in mid-2024. The final designs for these parks below can be viewed on MySay.  

• Inkerman Gully Reserve, Simpson Street, Ballarat North.  
• Glenvale Road Reserve, Mount Clear.  
• Peel Street Park, corner of Peel Street, Chisholm Street and Nicholson Street, Black Hill.  
• Webb Avenue Reserve, Ballarat East.  
• Shaw Avenue Reserve, corner of Shaw Avenue and Cromwell Street, Wendouree.

The Small Parks Development Program is another example of the City of Ballarat working to ensure community infrastructure can support the city’s future growth as part of delivering a better Ballarat.