New head draws up new plans

CAITLIN Davis is the new President of the Committee for Ballarat North.

Ms Davis, who has taken over the role from inaugural President Neil Para, brings a special set of skills which could benefit the community and the Midlands Reserve.

She is currently studying an online degree in Interior Architecture at Curtin University Western Australia yet for the past 12 months has been learning about public space.

“It’s been all about site analysis, site mapping, community engagement, public spaces, public seating and designing function based on a public purpose,” she said.

“It was such a coincidence that they needed someone to put their ideas around upgrading Midlands Reserve into action, it was just perfect timing.

“A lot of kids use the playground which is underdeveloped area, and they already had ideas but didn’t know how to implement them.”

Ms Davis said she was able and happy help using her experience to see what would work, how to draw it up and how to facilitate if it was going to be achievable and functional.

There are four parks in the Ballarat North and the committee, which was set up in January, considers Midlands Reserve is the one most used by the community.

“The group is starting to bring people together via social media and leaflets and if we put our voice together as one, we can actually help develop the area,” she said.

“Council generally puts out a tender calling for submissions and community input on this type of project and we think by creating our own plans it could be a good way to get started while saving them some money.”