There is no more congenial place to gather a community together than a local neighbourhood park. Over the last two years, Council has organised eight evening gatherings in small parks. Here local residents are invited to come along and enjoy a barbecue and entertainment in the form of clowns, musicians and activities for children.
Council Officers and Councillors organise and join in the fun, answering questions and handing out Council showbags and brochures. Leisure and Children’s Services Officer, Jenny Donegan, said that residents can get to know each other at these events and have the chance to talk to Council Officers and Councillors in an informal setting.
“Invitations to the events sometimes initially arouse suspicion as people imagine there must be a catch,” she said. “However once they have come along they are highly enthusiastic and supportive.
“Staff from Customer Service, Parks and Gardens and Local Laws are all there to help raise the profile of Council and the work we do.
“They come to realise it is a valuable exercise in community integration and useful for finding out how Council can help them. We have received very positive feedback.”
During the events, Parks Officers discuss local flora and fauna, hand out trees for residents to plant and discuss significant features, such as rare species which may be in the parks. Local Laws Officers have the opportunity to explain their role and the ways in which Local Laws can help make the City a better place for everyone.
“After an event and people have had the chance to discuss their queries and concerns, we find Local Laws Officers are no longer seen as enforcers, but rather as playing an education role,” Jenny Donegan said.
During a gathering last year, Officers from Council’s Engineering Services provider, Sinclair Knight Merz, came along to discuss with local residents proposals for a new playground. It gave people who would be using the park an ideal opportunity to see the plans on site and contribute their views, while engineers gained good ideas and feedback on their designs.
For further information contact Jenny Donegan, telephone (03) 9871 0380.
