Co-design walks and workshop held

Walks

The information we gathered from the online community mapping activity helped us focus the walks on the locations of most concern. A total of 228 pins were dropped on the maps by 92 people.

During May we held night and day walks at Dapto, Port Kembla and Wollongong with women, girls and non-binary people from our community. We discussed safety issues experienced at locations along the walk route and began to think about what interventions could make these areas feel safer.

We are working with the NSW Police on this project as they have valuable input to the planning of what we trial, but also in responding in their policing of areas where people feel less safe.

A day walk in Wollongong

Co-design Workshop

Community members then participated in a co-design workshop with Council staff to consider in more detail the interventions that could be trialed. Examples of interventions discussed were improved and new lighting, pruning of vegetation for better sightlines, activation of spaces via organised events, changed seating layouts, and painting areas to improve their look and feel.

Sharing ideas at the co-design workshop

Next Steps

Council will now prepare a list of interventions to be rolled out in each location. A project plan will then be sent to our project partner, Transport for NSW for approval. We will be back to provide an update after we gain approval.

Thank you for your participation in Safer Cities: Her Way and sharing your concerns and ideas to help create safer places. The information shared by our community has raised awareness of issues which need to be addressed by various agencies and will also inform future plans beyond this project.