Input sought on Mall overhaul

TRAFFIC could be returned to Bridge Mall or the Yarrowee River uncovered as part of an Urban Renewal Project being considered by the City of Ballarat.

Last week council invited Ballarat’s community to have a say on the how best to transform the precinct through the Bakery Hill and Bridge Mall Urban Renewal Project.

Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh announced the launch of an online survey to help determine what people love about the Bakery Hill and Bridge Mall area, what could be retained and re-imagined.

“We really want our broad community to be involved and engaged in the conversations about the middle of Ballarat, the heart and soul of who we are,” she said.

“I talk about the middle of town [as] a bit like a donut and we want to make sure that there is plenty of jam in it.”

Manager Strategic Planning Lisa Kendal said Council would like to hear about options for the Yarrowee River.

“We would like to consider having a sense of the Yarrowee and water in the space,” she said.

“We don’t know what that looks like yet but it is an idea we are going to play with, the opportunity to open up parts of the covered river that are there at the moment.”

Ms McIntosh said there is so much history to the Bakery Hill site that has to be secured for generations to come.

“We know it’s important to tell this story but we want to hear from the community about how they think it should be told,” she said.

The HUL- historical urban landscape approach will be used for the development of the renewal project with the Victorian Planning Authority providing Streamlining for Growth Program funding of $150,000 for the community consultation.

There’ll be Community Visioning Workshops attached to the community consultation process.

One will be held on Thursday, 15 November 6.30-8.30pm and the other on Sunday, 17 November 10.30am-12.30pm, both at the Ballarat Town Hall.

There’s also an online survey at mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au.