Last chance to help pave the way for our Footpath Construction Strategy

Just one week remains for residents to join the conversation to inform how the City of Ballarat prioritises and funds where new footpaths are built across the municipality.

Community feedback will help inform a Draft Footpath Construction Strategy.

More than 200 residents have completed the short online survey and more than 440 locations have been pinpointed on an interactive map where residents would like new footpaths to be constructed.

Footpaths are important to our community and play a vital role in keeping you active, safe and connected to others and to community facilities, services, public transport and open spaces.  

Once completed, the Footpath Construction Strategy will outline a framework that prioritises where new footpaths are needed most, where sealing of existing unsealed footpaths should take place and identifying missing links in the footpath network.  

The City of Ballarat has 844 kilometres of existing footpaths. There are about 600 kilometres of missing footpaths in the municipality which is estimated would cost about $100 million to construct.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson encouraged those yet to complete the survey to provide their feedback before it closes on Sunday 3 March.

“We encourage you to provide your feedback about how you use local footpaths and what new footpath links are important to you,” he said.

“With an annual budget of about $900,000 for the construction of new footpaths, we need to prioritise which footpaths are built.”

Feedback from the community for this round of consultation will help inform the Draft Footpath Construction Strategy. The community will also be invited to provide feedback on the Draft Strategy through a second phase of community consultation.  

The final Footpath Construction Strategy, which will then be presented to Council for consideration.  

Residents can provide feedback on the construction of new footpaths until 5pm, Sunday 3 March via mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au/footpath-strategy.

You can also pick up a printed copy of the survey throughout February at City of Ballarat sites, including Customer Service and Ballarat Libraries.  

As always, the City of Ballarat welcomes community feedback regarding the municipality’s existing footpaths. Download the Snap Send Solve app to quickly report any footpath problems to us anytime.