privacy - planning - planning
TRANSCRIPT
Privacy Capire Consulting Group and any person(s) acting on our behalf is committed to protecting privacy and personally identifiable information by meeting our responsibilities under the Victorian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles 2014 as well as relevant industry codes of ethics and conduct.
For the purpose of program delivery, and on behalf of our clients, we collect personal information from individuals, such as e-mail addresses, contact details, demographic data and program feedback to enable us to facilitate participation in consultation activities. We follow a strict procedure for the collection, use, disclosure, storage and destruction of personal information. Any information we collect is stored securely on our server for the duration of the program and only disclosed to our client or the program team. Written notes from consultation activities are manually transferred to our server and disposed of securely.
Comments recorded during any consultation activities are faithfully transcribed however not attributed to individuals. Diligence is taken to ensure that any comments or sensitive information does not become personally identifiable in our reporting, or at any stage of the program.
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For more information about the way we collect information, how we use, store and disclose information as well as our complaints procedure, please see www.capire.com.au or telephone (03) 9285 9000.
Consultation Unless otherwise stated, all feedback documented by Capire Consulting Group and any person(s) acting on our behalf is written and/or recorded during our program/consultation activities.
Capire staff and associates take great care while transcribing participant feedback but unfortunately cannot guarantee the accuracy of all notes. We are however confident that we capture the full range of ideas, concerns and views expressed during our consultation activities.
Unless otherwise noted, the views expressed in our work represent those of the participants and not necessarily those of our consultants or our clients.
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Glossary 3
1 Engagement overview 5
2 Introduction 6
2.1 Project background 6
2.2 Purpose and objectives 7
3 Sketch plan 10
4 Engagement Activities 12
4.1 Community leaders’ workshop 12
4.2 Community information sessions 13
4.3 Online survey 15
4.4 Stakeholder interviews 16
5 Participants 17
5.1 Age 17
5.2 Gender 17
5.3 Interest group 18
5.4 Phase one involvement 19
6 Engagement findings 20
6.1 General feedback on sketch plan 20
6.2 Safety and security 21
6.3 Sense of community 23
6.4 Facilities and services 24
6.5 Movement 26
7 Evaluation 28
7.1 Measure of success 28
7.2 Evaluation 30
8 Appendices 31
8.1 Appendix 32
8.2 Appendix 34
8.3 Appendix 35
Glossary
Stakeholders: Stakeholders are individuals or organisations, that affect, or can be affected by,
project decisions. Stakeholders can include different groups, government departments, media,
business, industry and the general community.
Stakeholder engagement: Stakeholder engagement is a planned process with the specific
purpose of working with stakeholders to encourage discussion or active involvement in a
project.
Public housing: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides public
housing and support for low-income Victorians, targeted to those most in need. The department
also works directly in partnership with not-for-profit registered housing agencies to provide
community housing.
Community: A community is a group of people who have a relationship or a shared interest. A
community of place is a group of people who are connected by the area they live, work and/or
visit. This could include a community who live in the same street, neighbourhood or suburb; a
community who work in the same building; or businesses located in an activity centre. A
community of interest is a group of people who have a shared interest, for example the natural
environment, local history or contemporary art. A community of affiliation are a group of people
who are members of the same group or club for example members of a sporting club, Rotary or
a church group.
Community engagement: Refers to the process by which community organisations and
individuals build ongoing, permanent relationships to apply a collective vision for the benefit of
a community.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities: These communities represent
the diversity in cultural backgrounds, language groups and religions in the broader community.
1 Engagement overview
2 Introduction
2.1 Project background
The Flemington Housing Estate (Estate) is located six kilometres from Melbourne’s Central
Business District (CBD) and is within proximity to public transport, healthcare, jobs and
education. The site is eight hectares and is home to over 2,000 people residing in a total of 916
dwellings. The residents of the Estate come from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, and
the most commonly spoken languages (other than English) are Arabic, Vietnamese, Somali,
Cantonese, Hakka, Mandarin, Amharic, Oromo and Tigrinya.
The ground level of residential buildings accommodates a mix of uses, including offices and
meeting rooms. The site includes a men’s shed and playgrounds, with large areas allocated to
approximately 750 onsite care parking spaces. Abutting the Estate is the Hopetoun Children’s
Centre, Flemington Community Centre, a sports pavilion, Debney Park Oval, tennis courts, and
a car park which are all owned by Moonee Valley City Council (Council). Debney Meadows
Primary School also abuts the Estate.
DHHS have identified that the 22 walk-ups with 199 flats which were built in the 1960s, are now
run down resulting in low amenity and high maintenance costs. To address this, the Victorian
State Government is contributing $30 million to kick-start the redevelopment of the Estate and
to replace the walk-ups. Part of the $30 million will be used to develop a masterplan for the site
to seek planning approval, conduct site investigations for due diligence, soil testing for
contamination and to undertake stakeholder engagement. The stakeholder engagement is
proposed to be implemented in three phases.
Phase one
Phase one of the stakeholder engagement was conducted in October 2016 by Capire
Consulting Group. The following groups were informed of the project and were invited to have
their say about the future of Flemington Housing Estate:
Estate residents
community leaders who represent many of the cultural groups residing on the Estate
community organisations that service and have close ties to the Estate
key stakeholder groups
Each of the groups were asked for their views on what they valued most about the Estate and
were asked to identify priorities and opportunities for improvement.
Phase two
Phase two engagement was held in February and March 2017. Residents and groups who were
consulted in Phase one, as well as surrounding residents, landlords and businesses, were given
the opportunity to provide feedback on a draft sketch plan for the proposed public housing
renewal on the Estate. The sketch plan included the Holland Court walk-ups and other identified
residential areas throughout the Estate.
Figure 1. Site plan of the Flemington Housing Estate
The non-negotiable, or agreed, elements of the second phase of the project are outlined below:
the 22 walk-up buildings will be demolished and replaced with at least 10 per cent
additional social housing units
the high-rise buildings will be retained
the entire redevelopment will include mixed tenure housing to provide more diversity on
the Estate
existing tenants of the walk-ups will be relocated in a staged process. The DHHS
housing and support team will endeavour to minimise disruption to the lives of residents
who need to relocate
current residents of the walk-up buildings will have the opportunity to return to a new
social housing unit on the estate based on their housing needs
the replacement buildings towards Victoria Street will be stepped down to provide a
transition in height and mass
higher density and taller buildings will be accommodated closer to the existing high-rise
towers.
The negotiable elements of the sketch plan that participants were invited to comment on are
outlined below:
suggestions on improving the safety and helping people to feel more secure on the
Estate
opportunities to encourage connections with each other on the Estate and ideas to build
a sense of belonging to the broader Flemington community
suggestions of any retail, commercial and community spaces that would help service
the Estate
ideas to improve the milk bar on the Estate
suggestions for a possible new location for the community centre and preferred services
and activities
improvements to the walkways to and from and through the Estate and towards the
Flemington Bridge Railway Station
comments about the proposed improvements to the vehicular access to the Estate
comments about the proposed off-road cycle path along Racecourse Road that will
connect to the Capital City Trail
Phase three
Phase three of the engagement process will aim to deliver a Design Framework for the public
housing site. A high-level structure plan for the Debneys Park Precinct will also be developed in
collaboration with Moonee Valley City Council. The timeframe for Phase three engagement will
be determined once timeframes for the development of the Design Framework and structure
plan is confirmed.
2.2 Purpose and objectives
Phase two engagement for the renewal project sought to reconnect with Estate residents,
community leaders and community stakeholders who have expressed an interest in the renewal
process, providers of services to residents, and others who had taken part in the Phase one
engagement. In addition, feedback was sought from surrounding residents and businesses.
The purpose of Phase two engagement was to seek feedback on five key themes presented in
the draft sketch plan. The sketch plan encompasses a broad planning framework and site plans
for the proposed Estate renewal and included the themes identified as priority areas in the
Phase one community and stakeholder engagement:
safety and security
sense of community
facilities, services and activities
place management
open space
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have responded to the priorities
identified in Phase one and are in the process of undertaking the measures illustrated in the
Figure 2 below. This poster was made available at each of the engagement sessions in Phase
two to inform the participants of the responses related to their expressed concerns.
Figure 2. DHHS responses to the feedback from Phase one engagement
In a collaborative process with the DHHS project team, objectives for the Phase two
engagement were developed to guide the line of enquiry, develop the questions asked and
provide a framework upon which to measure the engagement success. The objectives of the
Phase two engagement were to:
ensure community needs and desires contribute to the renewal process, a commitment
made by the Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing
provide ongoing information and feedback to the local community about the
redevelopment process and outcomes of the engagement process
adopt an inclusive engagement process to seek feedback from the community and
stakeholders on the key topics, concepts and ideas presented within the sketch plan
build the capacity of the community to provide feedback on the sketch plan
consult with a wide cross-section of residents and community leaders of the Estate,
community service organisations, service providers, as well as surrounding residents
and businesses, and to strengthen existing relationships where possible
strengthen existing relationships where possible
3 Debneys Precinct Sketch Plan
Following the Phase one engagement, a draft sketch plan incorporating community feedback was
developed for Debneys Park and the Flemington Estate precinct. The sketch plan sought to address the
five key themes as follows:
General feedback
o initial reactions to the location and heights of buildings
Safety and security
o measures including improvements to lighting, increased activity around building
entrances, designs for increased surveillance and improvements to car parking security
Sense of community
o a mix of public and private housing
o the potential for new retail and commercial opportunities to assist in integrating the
Flemington Estate into the local neighbourhood
Facilities and services
o potential for new retail, commercial and community spaces
o improvements to the current Flemington Community Centre for the Estate residents and
the local community
o new opportunities for open spaces within the Estate
o recreation opportunities in the Debneys Park area
Movement:
o straightening the internal road and improving access to the Holland Court entrance
o widening internal roads and improving pathways to and from the Estate, within the Estate,
and to and from the Flemington Bridge station
o addressing the issues of car parking to make it easier for Estate residents to park
o potential for an off-road shared cycle path along Racecourse Road connecting to the
Capital City Trail.
The Debneys Precinct Sketch Plan is provided at Figure 3.
Figure 3. Debneys Precinct Sketch Plan
4 Engagement activities
4.1 Community leaders’ workshop
An informal workshop was held with the community leaders representing the following
multicultural groups within the Estate: Somali, Vietnamese, Arabic – Tigre, Eritrean, and other
African-Australian multicultural groups. A full list of the workshop attendees can be found in
Appendix 4. The workshop was held at on Monday 20 February 2017.
Figure 4. Photo from the community leaders’ workshop
Photo: DHHS
The community leaders who had participated in the Phase one engagement were invited to take
part in the workshop. Additional emerging community leaders were also invited to attend.
Participants were welcomed by local MP, Danny Pearson who is well respected by many
residents on the Estate. DHHS staff were in attendance to provide an overview of the
Flemington Estate redevelopment. A representative from the Planning area of Moonee Valley
City Council was also present to explain the plans for the Debneys Park area and about related
Council-owned facilities. The workshop enabled the community leaders to review the sketch
plan and to see how feedback from the community in the Phase one engagement had helped to
inform the design.
The aims of the workshop were to:
keep the community leaders involved with the renewal project by informing them of the
project’s progress
present the sketch plan to show how their input had been incorporated and ask for their
feedback around emerging themes
encourage participants to continue communication about the project through their
various communities (e.g. provide flyers listing the upcoming information sessions for
distribution to their respective communities).
The workshop was facilitated by Capire and was designed as an informal participatory
workshop to obtain informed feedback into the sketch plan around four identified themes:
safety and security
facilities and services
sense of community
movement
A presentation providing an overview of the project background and the sketch plan was
provided by DHHS.
Participants were divided across two tables, with each table discussing two of the themes.
Participants were then asked to swap tables half way through, to ensure each participant had
the opportunity to discuss each of the four themes. The workshop format is outlined in Appendix
5.
At the close of the workshop, community leaders were given an information flyer in their
respective languages to distribute among their communities. The flyer included an invitation to
two upcoming community information sessions at which residents of the Estate could find out
more about the renewal project and the sketch plan.
4.2 Community information sessions
Three community information sessions were held at the Flemington Community Centre on
Mount Alexander Road:
Wednesday 22 February, 6.30-8.30pm
Wednesday 1 March, 10am-6pm
Thursday 2 March, 6.30-8pm.
The information sessions were promoted by DHHS to residents of the Estate and to the broader
community by:
letter box drop
posters in key areas
via the community leaders at the workshop.
The sketch plan was displayed at the Flemington Community Centre for people to view (see
Figure 4). A poster outlining how DHHS had integrated the feedback received from the Phase
one engagement into the sketch plan was also on display. The poster can be found in Section
2.2 of this report.
The community information sessions were complemented by a barbecue, face painting, balloon
animals, and a petting zoo. The addition of these family activities created an enjoyable
atmosphere to attract passers-by. Officers from DHHS and Council explained the elements of
the sketch plan. The attendees were then asked a series of survey questions via an iPad based
on the key themes. Representatives from the Victorian Public Tenants Association were also
available to answer questions.
Information flyers that were translated into some of the major languages spoken on the Estate,
namely Arabic, Oromo, Turkish, Vietnamese, Somali, simplified Chinese and Traditional
Chinese, were available at these sessions. These flyers provided information about the dates
and times of the upcoming community information sessions (see Appendix 3). Local interpreters
from the Estate were available to help interpret the sketch plan and survey questions. The
interpreters that attended the full day community information session and their language groups
are listed below:
Adam Mohamed – Somali and Arabic
Shardia Mohamed Aly – Arabic and Tigre
Kim Nguyen – Vietnamese
Official interpreters were engaged to assist at these sessions where required.
Figure 5. Community discussions around the sketch plan during a community information
session
Photo: DHHS
The final session was specifically targeted to young people who live on the Estate. Members of
the project team visited them at their weekly drop-in session. It was an opportunity to re-engage
with the young people who had been consulted in Phase one and to feed back to them how
their concerns have been addressed in the sketch plan. The session was organised at a time
when local teenagers use the Flemington Community Centre for learning and recreation after
school. They were shown the sketch plan, and were asked to take part in the survey via the
iPads. Pizza was served to them following the session, to thank them for participating. The
participants were asked the following questions:
Do you have any initial comments to make about the draft sketch plan?
Do you have any suggestions for how we can make the Estate safer?
Are there any improvements to community spaces needed or anything new you would
like to see on the Estate? (Retail, commercial, community space, milk bar
improvements)
Are there any services or activities that aren’t currently offered at the community centre
that you think should be? (Where would the ideal location for the community centre be?)
Do you have any suggestions for how we can make it easier for people to walk and
drive in and around the Estate? (e.g. Connection to the Flemington Estate railway
station, off road cycle path along Racecourse Rd, vehicle access, walkability)
A total of 61 surveys were completed at these three events however not all the surveys can be
classified as single survey responses. Single surveys were often completed by groups of
people, assisted by an interpreter, with group comments being consolidated into the one survey.
4.3 Online survey
To complement the face-to-face engagement activities and to attempt to reach a wider group of
respondents, an online survey using the Survey Monkey tool was publicly available for feedback
on the DHHS website: www.dhs.vic.gov.au/flemingtonrenewal
The website included the information about the project, the sketch plan and an interpretive
guide to help participants complete the survey. Participants were asked to answer 10 open-
ended questions (listed below) based on the key themes as well as the following demographic
information: age group, gender, interest group and Phase one involvement.
The online survey was promoted via the flyers that were dropped into residential letterboxes,
and via social media and the Department’s website.
The participants were asked:
Do you have any comments, questions or concerns about the proposed design of the
Estate?
Do you have any suggestions in relation to the design of the Estate that will improve
safety and make people feel more secure?
Can you suggest any opportunities to improve the combined Debneys Park and
Flemington Estate areas?
What retail, commercial or community space would you like to see included on the
Estate?
Are there any improvements to the community spaces and milk bar that you would like
to see on the Estate?
The current community centre is run down. If a new community centre were to be built,
where would you prefer to see it located?
What services and activities would you like to see in a new community facility?
What issues or opportunities are there to improve ways to walk around the Estate, to
and from the Estate, and towards Flemington Bridge station?
Do you have any comments about the proposed improvement to vehicle access to and
within the Estate?
Do you have any comments about the proposed off-road cycle path along Racecourse
Road that will connect to the Capital City Trail?
A total of 10 surveys were completed online: seven of these were completed by those who
identified as interested community members, one by an Estate resident, one from a local
resident, and one by a service provider.
Figure 6. Graph showing the online participants per their relationship to the Estate
4.4 Stakeholder interviews
Capire conducted 11 structured phone and face-to-face interviews with representatives from
organisations who have an interest in the renewal project or those who directly provide services
to the residents on the Estate. Four of the interviewees had taken part in the Phase one
engagement. The stakeholders who were interviewed hold rich local knowledge from their day-
to-day interaction with residents.
The participants were asked the same questions from the online survey. They provided
feedback on the sketch plan in relation to the challenges and opportunities relating to housing,
open space and integration with the surrounding area. A list of stakeholders who participated in
the phone and face-to-face interview is provided in Appendix 6.
10%0
10%
0
70%
10%
Resident of the estate Local business Service provider
Community leader Interested community member Other (please specify)
5 Participants
5.1 Age
Interviewees who took part in the online survey via the DHHS website were asked their age. Of
those, the most common age group was 21-30 years (40%) followed by 41-50 years (30%), 31-
40 years (20%) and 51-60 years (10%). A graph providing an overview of the online survey
participant is located at Figure 7.
Figure 7. Graph indicating the age groups of online survey participants
The community information sessions were designed to reach a broad representative of age
groups and were scheduled at times when regular community activities were taking place at the
Flemington Community Centre, such as the “Exercise for older adults”, “B Minor Music for
toddlers”, the “FILLS – Family Inclusive Language and Learning Support program” and the
weekly youth drop-in session. Data of participants age groups was not obtained.
5.2 Gender
Overall, more females than males participated in the Phase two engagement, with 58% female
and 42% male. This is likely due to the large attendance of female residents at the Flemington
Community Centre, especially during after school activities. A graph outlining the gender
breakdown of participants is provided in Figure 8.
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Under 16
16-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
70+
Age Group
Figure 8. Graph indicating gender of participants
5.3 Interest group
The majority of Phase two engagement participants were Estate residents (57%), while the
remaining participants were interested community members (23%), service providers (16%) or
“other” (4%). Figure 9 provides an overview of the interest groups who participated.
Figure 9. Graph of phase two engagement participants by interest group
48%
52%
Male Female
57%23%
16%
4%
Resident of the Estate Interested community member Service provider Other
5.4 Phase one involvement
Residents who attended the community information session had taken part in the Phase one
engagement by completing the postcard survey or attending a drop-in session. Of those who
participated in the community leaders workshop, the online survey, and the stakeholder
interviews, the majority (70%) had not been involved in the Phase one engagement. Figure 10
shows the percentage of participants that were involved in the Phase one engagement.
Figure 10. Graph showing percentage of participants who were involved in Phase one
engagement
30%
70%
Yes, I was involved in phase one No, I was not involved in phase one
6 Engagement Findings
This section of the report outlines the main themes of discussion heard throughout the
engagement activities. The combined feedback of both community and stakeholders is
summarised following.
6.1 General feedback on sketch plan
General feedback on the draft sketch plan from both community and stakeholders was relatively
positive, though some concerns were raised about the estimated heights of the new buildings.
The main themes are highlighted in Figure 11.
Figure 11. Graph showing the main themes in relation to the overall sketch plan
BUILDING HEIGHT AND DESIGN
Participants living in the current walk-ups were generally excited about the redevelopment of the
buildings, and had questions about the design and amenity of the new apartments, such as the
number of bedrooms especially for larger families. Overall there was support for the plan to
include a mix of public and private housing on the Estate.
“Looks good. Positive thing is that it’s public and private mix. Hasn’t affected open space a lot,
which is good.” - Community leader, male
“Lot of changes looking forward to changes. More neighbourhood like area. More residents.
More activities.” - Estate resident, female
“Concerned about the percentage increase in the footprint of new buildings, especially height.” - Interested community member, male
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Connectivity
Public transport
Services
Youth involvement
Recreation
Retail
Social inclusion
Safety
Community space
Sense of community
General amenity
Car parking
Building height & design
CAR PARKING
There is some concern over the provision of car parking, especially once the new buildings are
completed, which will see an increase in residences. Safety and security in the car parks
continues to be an area of concern.
“Very wary of car park space that will be taken up. Density-concrete jungle. Harder for security
guards to manage. Car parks-at night security guards patrol, if underground could be unsafe.”
- Service provider, male
“How will parking be "policed" so that residents are not at a disadvantage?” - Community leader,
female
GENERAL AMENITY
Some participants asked if NBN would be made available to the Estate, while others were
concerned about the noise from the freeway, and the cleanliness of the Estate.
“I’m a gamer. The internet here is only cable. I would really love if the NBN would be
considered for this project.” - Resident of the Estate, male
“The freeway is very noisy.” - Resident of the Estate, female
“Area is very dirty and has rubbish, need to work with community leaders on this.” - Resident of
the Estate, female
6.2 Safety and security
Safety and security on the Estate remains a key concern for Estate residents and for the local
community who live near the Estate. Issues relating to drug use and crime and safety at night
are of concern to the residents who live in the current walk up buildings. Participants in the
Phase two engagement were asked what suggestions they had for improving security and
making people feel safer. The main themes are shown in the Figure 12.
Figure 12. Graph showing the main themes in relation to safety and security
SECURITY PATROLS AND POLICE PRESENCE
There were 29% of participants that expressed that regular security patrols and police presence
on the Estate would help them to feel safer, and would help to deter drug-related crime.
“Need 24 hour patrols. Security officers should have a master key to all the buildings.”
- Community leader, male
“More security services - like security guards. A lot of people who are not residents at the estate
come on to the estate and make trouble.” - Resident of the Estate, female
“The dealers cause more trouble than people living on the estate. Police need to do something
about this.” - Resident of the Estate, female
CCTV
“CCTV and more security walking around.” - Resident of the Estate, male
“CCTV cameras would be good to ensure people are preventative in their presence, also to
capture footage.” - Resident of the Estate, female
LIGHTING
“More lighting, make more attractive to make people want to go through. “- Resident of the
Estate, female
“More lighting and open space.” - Resident of the Estate, female
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Littering
Sense of community
Increased activity near building entrances
Crime & drug prevention
Increased foot traffic around the estate
Lighting
CCTV
Security patrols/police presence
6.3 Sense of community
A sense of belonging to the broader Flemington community is the main aspiration for residents
of the Estate. Within the Debneys Precinct, an increase in recreation uses and services offered
by the Flemington Community Centre are important for growing resident’s sense of community.
The key themes identified throughout the Phase two engagement, for increasing a sense of
community is listed in Figure 13.
Figure 13. Graph showing the main themes in relation to sense of community
COMMUNITY OPEN SPACE
When asked how DHHS could help create greater sense of community, 16% of participants felt
that expanding community open space throughout the precinct would give residents a greater
opportunity to connect with others.
“Need area you can connect with others outside of your own dwelling.” - Resident of the Estate,
male
“Eritrean community - there are two facilities at 120 and 58 Holland - no space for the Eritrean
community, so there needs to be more spaces for them to gather. Bakery and grocery shops,
coffee shops needed on the estate. This will bring more people and make it a more mixed
community. Need more spaces for elderly residents to gather.” - Resident of the Estate, female
SERVICES
An increase in services at the Flemington Community Centre would help not only the Estate
community, but the broader community as well.
“Being creative about finding ways to support young mums - have something focused for them
and something for older mums.” - Service provider, female
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
Programs
Access to public transport
Car parking
Lighting/cameras
Public art
Multi-culturalism
Youth services
No comment
Community Centre
Accessibility througout the Estate
Community facilities
General amenity
Integration with the broader community
Community Garden
Recreation
Services
Community open space
“Job centre, employment agency - link between school and work, also between arriving here
and finding work. Sense of responsibility, independence, increase quality of life.” - Service
provider, male
RECREATION
Increasing the provision of recreational activities on the Estate was mentioned by both residents
and service providers.
“Build more recreation spaces for youth, such as basketball, indoor soccer.” - Resident of the
Estate, male
“Gym space - physio gym to work with clients to improve their health and wellbeing.” - Service
provider, female
6.4 Facilities and services
Participants were asked several questions about the potential for improvements to community
spaces, including retail and commercial opportunities. Mooney Valley City Council were also
keen to find out the value of the Flemington Community Centre to the community, and what
activities and recreation the community wanted to see in the Debneys Park area. The key
themes are that emerged are listed in Figure 14.
Figure 14. Graph showing the main themes in relation to facilities and services
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Building design
Employment & vocational opportunities
Social enterprises
Sense of community
Community Centre facilities
Community Centre activities
Don't use the centre/no comment
Youth activities
Community Centre location
Recreation
Retail/commercial
RETAIL/COMMERCIAL
Retail and commercial opportunities were a popular idea among participants, with 30%
expressing an interest in seeing retail and commercial businesses included within the Estate,
specifically a café or restaurant and a large convenience store or mini mart. Some upgrades to
the existing milk bar were identified.
“The current milk bar is not particularly inviting; it looks like a bunker. It would be good to see
any community or retails spaces present a welcoming front.” - Resident of the Estate, female
“Retail take away shop, mini supermarket in the Estate, milk bar too basic, expand milk bar-
more accessible for elderly disabled and people with children.” - Resident of the Estate, female
“There should only be one type of retail facility there - no need for anything else. Racecourse
Road commercial/retail - would need to consider the impact that it would have on existing retail
along Racecourse Road - needs to be managed as to what sort/type it is.” - Stakeholder, male
RECREATION
Better sporting facilities, especially for the youth who live on and around the Estate, was an
important issue for many of the participants. Upgrades to existing facilities and increased
participation are important for building a sense of community.
“More activities-indoor soccer and basketball court. Whole community activities.” - Resident of
the Estate, male
“Gym space - physio gym to work with clients to improve their health and wellbeing.”
- Service provider, female
“Indoor soccer and basketball. Play time activities, arcade games for money or free.” - Young
resident of the Estate, male
COMMUNITY CENTRE LOCATION
The Flemington Community Centre is important to many of the residents on the Estate. Some
residents expressed frustration at not being able to access the Centre, as it books out months in
advance, while others found that it offered a broad range of services that they regularly use.
Many of the participants felt that the Centre should stay where it is, while others thought a
second community centre should be built within the Estate itself.
“Centre gets used a lot but space isn't too useable. Need some more small centres within the
Estate.” - Interested community member, male
“Perfect location but extended services for the elderly and more health-related activities, female
only gym. All residents should have equal access to facilities. We can’t hire community room at
all? They have no availability for Turkish women’s group. Should be only available for tenants
as they hire it out to external people.” - Resident of the Estate, female
“Keep it where it is; but if moved, then make sure it's in the same vicinity. If sports stadium is
built, then it will continue to be well utilised (mixed use).” - Stakeholder, male
6.5 Movement
Participants were asked about the issues and opportunities to improve pedestrian, vehicle, and
cycling access to, from and within the Estate, including pedestrian access to the Flemington
Bridge Station. The main themes discussed are shown in Figure 15.
Figure 15. Graph showing the main themes in relation to movement
PATHWAYS
Participants felt most strongly about pedestrian access in and around the Estate, and to the
surrounding public transport (both train and tram). Improved lighting along the paths would
increase feelings of safety.
“Need better connections to transport, even footpaths, more of a thoroughfare so that the estate
is safer. “- Interested community member, female
“Racecourse Rd footpath and paths to train station. Access to the station for the whole
community e.g. bike paths make the estate more open to the broader community. People who
don't live on the Estate, but who use Debneys Park could go through the estate rather than
around it.” - Stakeholder, male
“Better walking paths, hard for people to walk with limited mobility, for example crutches.” -
Resident of the Estate, female
VEHICLE ACCESS
There was general support for the proposed improvements to vehicle access into and within the
Estate. Car parking continued to be an area of concern.
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Active frontages
Landscaping
Security
Accessibility
CCTV/Crime
Car parking
Lighting
Pedestrian access
Public transport
No comment
Vehicle access
Pathways
“Good idea - widening it more and improving Holland Court will make it feel a little less like a
gated community. Beautify it. Opening it out will improve safety.” - Stakeholder, female
“I have concerns whether there will be sufficient parking and the consequent overflow onto
surrounding streets. Council perhaps to consider parking restrictions in streets. Need to ensure
people access estate can do so safely without risking accidents with other cars and pedestrians
with special consideration to commuters crossing the road to the tram. Bike rider’s safety as
well.” - Interested community member, female
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Participants who identified public transport as their main form of transport noted that
improvements are needed to the access of the Flemington Bridge station.
“Easy to get to transport. Paths around park are good.”- Resident of the Estate, female
“Access to both platforms of the Flemington Bridge station could be significantly improved. A
pedestrian overpass that provides access to both platforms from both sides of the station would
be fantastic. Employing a spiral path, or even one that separates bicycles from pedestrians,
would make it safer and easier for cyclists and pedestrians who are using this path. Separating
station access from the path that links with the Capital City Trail would improve safety and
amenity for pedestrians and cyclists alike.” - Interested community member, male
“I don’t drive because how beautiful it is to catch public transport around here; we are so lucky.
For walking around Flemington Bridge station is kind of intimidating just because you’re near a
main road. Lights would probably help.” - Resident of the Estate, male
7 Evaluation
7.1 Measure of success
This section evaluates the engagement process in accordance with the parameters set in the
Stakeholder Engagement Strategy (SES) to measure project success. The project success was
measured by the quality of information provided, level of participation, the breadth of
participation and the value placed on participant feedback.
7.1.1 Quality of information provided
What was the quality and appropriateness of the information used for the engagement?
A Questions and Answers document was created to provide general background information
about the project.
The information flyers distributed at various stages of the engagement were translated into the
primary languages (namely Arabic, Oromo, Turkish, Vietnamese, Somali, simplified Chinese
and Traditional Chinese) of Estate residents thereby able to reach a broader cross section of
the Estate community. The feedback from Phase one engagement poster was a useful tool at
the community information sessions and complemented the draft sketch plan.
The guide to the Debneys Park sketch plan document, mainly used in the online engagement,
was not very clear in interpreting the sketch plan itself. The presence of DHHS and Council staff
at the community information sessions provided a verbal synopsis of the sketch plan, integral to
filling this gap. Their knowledge of the sketch plan and its implications for the site provided the
information that enabled participants to provide informed feedback.
The DHHS website will provide updates about the redevelopment process and copies of both a
summary document and the engagement findings report will be made publicly available.
7.1.2 Level of participation
Was there a good participation rate during the engagement activities? How could it have been
improved?
The participation rate was low with approximately 150 people giving their feedback. This result
is indicative of the short promotional lead time to engagement the activities, and a short
engagement period. The full-day community information session whilst planned to coincide with
existing community activities at the Flemington Community Centre did not illicit as large a
response as was expected. Some of the planned activities were cancelled on that day and
those who were attending the Centre did not necessarily want to talk about the renewal project.
This could be overcome by running more targeted information sessions on future phases of the
project.
The community leaders’ workshop was well received with participants showing a keen interest
in the renewal project. The leaders were important in sharing information with their communities
and a few leaders were available at the subsequent community information sessions to act as
translators for their communities.
The online engagement did not receive as many responses as anticipated. This could be due to
the way in which the information was presented online and how the online engagement was
promoted. For an engagement of this type, online is not always going to be as beneficial as
face-to-face engagement, especially if the interest of the broader community is low or they do
not know about it. Future use of the Engage Victoria platform, as a dedicated engagement hub,
may illicit more online activity.
7.1.3 Breadth of participation
Was the participation data obtained from a wide range of community members? What were the
barriers? How could this be improved?
Over half of the participants were residents of the Estate. This is not surprising given the
renewal directly impacts them. Engaging more broadly with Flemington residents proves a little
harder as they may not be directly impacted nor may the renewal be considered important to
them.
The engagement activities were centred around the Estate. Leveraging off community and
business meetings and events may have helped in capturing a broader community response.
7.1.4 Value placed on participant input
Did the participants have a clear idea of how their input will be used and confidence that their
views are being valued?
The presence of DHHS and Council staff at community information sessions gave the
community the opportunity to ask questions, particularly around the relocation during the
construction period.
The use of interpreters and information printed in the primary languages (namely Arabic,
Oromo, Turkish, Vietnamese, Somali, simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese) of the Estate
residents showed that their opinions were valued. Distributing a one page summary infographic
document to the engagement participants demonstrates a commitment by DHHS to keep
residents and stakeholders informed.
7.2 Evaluation
To evaluate the success of the community leaders’ workshop, a short evaluation form was
completed by each participant after the workshop. Participants were asked to rate aspects of
the workshop on a scale of 1 to 5; 1 being poor and 5 being excellent. The aspects being
evaluated were:
Quality of information: How well did we describe what we needed to? How well were
we in providing relevant information and answering your questions?
Use of time: How well did we use our time?
Participation: How well did we do on making sure everyone was involved?
Facilitation: How well was the workshop managed?
Organisation: How well was the workshop run?
The feedback from the community leaders workshop are shown in Figure 16. Overall the
participation, facilitation and organisation were rated as good whilst the use of time was rated
the lowest.
Figure 16. Workshop evaluation form feedback
0
1
2
3
4
5
Quality ofinformation
Use of time Participation Facilitation Organisation
Workshop evaluation
Poor Fair Satisfactory Good Excellent
8 Appendices
Appendix 1: Invitation letter sent out to residents of the Estate
and surrounding area
Appendix 2: Letter from the Director of Housing
Appendix 3: Invitation flyers translated into some key languages
spoken on the Estate
Appendix 4: Community Leaders and housing association
representatives
Appendix 5: Community workshop agenda
Appendix 6: Stakeholder interview participants and their
respective organisations
8.1 Appendix: Invitation letter sent out to residents of the Estate
and surrounding area
8.2 Appendix: Letter from the Director of Housing
8.3 Appendix; Invitation flyers translated into some key
languages spoken on the Estate
8.4 Appendix; Community Leaders and housing association
representatives
Name Organisation/Community
Ibrahim Hajj Eritrean Community Australia
Shadia Mohamed Arabic, Tigre Community
Salah Ibrahim Eritrean Young Mother’s Group
Adam Mohamed Somali Community
Yasseen Musa African-Australian Multicultural Employment & Youth
Services
Thanh Tran Vietnamese Community
John Dickie Flemington Association
Les Potts Flemington Association
Mark Feenane Victorian Public Tenants Association
8.5 Appendix: Community workshop agenda
6:00pm Official welcome Danny Pearson MP
6:05pm Workshop format
Kathlin Mayer facilitator, Capire Consulting Group (Capire)
6:15pm Presentation: Project background and purpose,
Phase one community feedback and emerging themes
Fiona Williams, Director of Property & Asset Services, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
6:25pm
(15 min)
Table discussion 1: General feedback
Q1: What are your initial reactions to the proposed design of the Estate?
6:40pm
(30 min)
Table discussion 2: Issues and opportunities
Themes:
Safety & security
Q1: What issues and opportunities do you see relating to the design that will improve safety and make people more secure?
Facilities and services
Q1: What issues and opportunities do you see for retail, commercial or community space within the Estate?
Q2: What issues and opportunities do you see for improvements to the community spaces and milk bar on the Estate?
7:10pm Short break
7:20pm
(30 min)
Table discussion 3: Issues and opportunities (change tables)
Themes:
Sense of community
Q1: What issues and opportunities do you see to improve the combined Debneys Park and Flemington Estate areas?
Movement
Q1: What issues and opportunities do you see to improve ways to walk around the Estate, to and from the Estate and towards the Flemington Bridge station?
Q2: What issues and opportunities do you see with the proposed improvements to vehicle access to and within the Estate?
Q3: What issues and opportunities do you see with the proposed off-road cycle path along Racecourse Road that will connect to the Capital City trail?
7:45pm Plenary/summary Capire
7:50pm Wrap up and where to from here?
Evaluation forms
Fiona Williams, DHHS
8.00pm Close and thank you Capire
8.6 Appendix: Stakeholder interview participants and their
respective organisations
Name Role Organisation Phase one
participant
Vicki Watson Principal Debney Meadows Primary
School
Yes – via interview
Cathy Connop Centre Coordinator Farnham Street
Neighbourhood House
Yes – via
community
workshop
Rhonda Collins Manager Latitude Directions for
Young People
No
Will Cordova Representative Flemington Chamber of
Commerce
No
Kal Magano-
Niebling
Manager Hopetoun Children’s
Centre
No
Wayne
Hamworth
Principal Mount Alexander College Yes – via interview
Jill Kilpatrick Constable Victoria Police (Moonee
Valley)
Yes – via interview
Mina Stevenson Occupational Therapist CoHealth No
Mark Rayner SHASP & SFaR
Manager
Wombat Housing and
Support Service
No
Anthony Kelly Representative Flemington Kensington
Legal Service
No
Carol Espinoza Coordinator
Community
Development
Moonee Valley City
Council
No