Healthy Active by Design

Design Feature

Type of Project: Placemaking

State: Victoria

Location: Regional

The ‘Knowing your Place 3214’ Cycle/Walks Project is about connecting the community to the cycle and walking paths in and around the suburbs of Norlane and Corio near Geelong. It is a project that uses active transport to connect residents with place in a social and physical way, and has been as much about pride of place as encouraging walking and cycling to destinations using the newly constructed Karndoor-kapa track and existing street networks.

The demographic and socio-economic analysis of the area reveals that sections of the community have high unemployment rates, low education, low household incomes, low car ownership and are likely to be living in public or rental housing. Therefore, the aims of the project are to support residents to get around using active travel, improve social wellbeing and develop a sense of pride and connectedness within the local community.

Improving community health and prosperity

The ‘Knowing your Place 3214’ neighbourhood walks have been a creative way of engaging the community in activating their own aspirations for safer places to walk and cycle to key destinations for services and recreation.

This project worked with the community to activate cycle loops and to develop a series of cycling and walking routes that link to destinations and services as well as providing a safe and attractive active transport network.

The project utilises the Karndoor-kapa track, which forms a loop around the two suburbs that make up the postcode of 3214. The track provides approximately 18 kilometres of shared cycle paths with connections to other trails that link to other parts of the City of Greater Geelong.

The following outcomes have been achieved via the implementation of this project:

Increased understanding of concepts of place, walkability, livability and place attachment
Improved and strengthened cultural identity, social cohesion and connection to place • Involvement of local community groups, residents and schools in development and design of walk cycle routes
Skill development: Mapping, Auditing, Presenting
Acknowledgement and involvement of the traditional owners of the land the Wadawurrung people
Increased physical activity by creation of safe, attractive active transport networks
The collaboration between internal and external departments and organisations to provide the active transport network and support activation of the network.

Project team

Community Development Officer - City of Greater Geelong
City of Greater Geelong staff from – Engineering, Arts & Culture, Sport & Recreation, Parks & Gardens, Environment, Planning & Waterways Departments
Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation
Community Residents
Northern Bay Secondary College
Covenant College
North Shore Residents Group Inc.
Nelson Park School

Project cost

The infrastructure of the Karndoor-kapa cycle loop was funded by the former Department of Planning and Community Development now Regional Development Victoria ($1.4 million) and the City ($500,000).

Gallery

Students from local high school involved in the project.

The City of Greater Geelong’s strategic documents set frameworks that aim to improve prosperity and health for communities. The Knowing Your Place neighbourhood walks similarly aim to galvanise people, groups and place in healthy activities and opportunities. The ‘Knowing Your Place’ walks offer health value as they have provided a safe network of paths that not only increase physical activity but give residents a sense and pride of place.
The completion of the cycle loop around the two suburbs has been able to encourage more active transport activity both by cycling and walking to destinations within the loop. The ‘Knowing Your Place’ walks are marketed to the wider community and enhance the existing tourist attractions.
Sign rocks have been placed at the start of the cycle loop and three of the ‘Knowing Your Place’ walks and have been designed to showcase the natural environment in which they sit. Brochures of each of the walks draw people to the history, flora and fauna and uniqueness of each walk.
The ‘Knowing Your Place’ walks link the community with its local heritage. Identifying and promoting points of interest within this area instils a sense of pride and additionally increases the social and cultural connection between young and older local residents. Community engagement has enhanced the social value of the project. For example, local school students involved in the project have been acknowledged for their work and have conducted walks with their school communities and families. Furthermore, the traditional landowners the ‘Wadawurrung people’ have been recognised and acknowledged in each of the walks.
The Karndoor-kapa cycle loop and the ‘Knowing Your Place’ walks have provided a safe and attractive active transport network that has helped the local residents to access destinations easier within Corio Norlane.

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