FAQs
- Stage 1 (current stage) – the Park Life survey
- Stage 2 – the draft Open Space Strategy
- which parks you visit?
- why you visit them? and
- the benefits you get from using parks.
What is an Open Space Strategy?
Open Space Strategies are typically used by local councils to forward plan how they will provide and manage open spaces in their areas.
The Clarence Open Space Strategy will be the overarching strategic document that will guide Clarence City Council's planning for and development of its open spaces for the next 20-years.
The strategy will cover all open space areas including recreation and play parks, natural open spaces, foreshore reserves, linear parks and waterways.
Why does Clarence need an Open Space Strategy?
The Open Space Strategy will establish a sustainable implementation plan that identifies the network of parks, playgrounds and nature reserves needed in Clarence, so everyone can enjoy healthy environments, active lifestyles and strong, connected communities.
We need to make sure we have a plan so that we are anticipating and responding to the needs of our current and future residents and other people who spend time in Clarences’ open spaces.
What will the Open Space Strategy do?
The Open Space Strategy is a high-level and overarching framework that will govern the acquisition, development, embellishment, maintenance, and management of Council’s open space assets to provide an inclusive, vibrant, and integrated open space network that meets our community’s needs.
The Strategy will be supported by a suite of documents that will guide Council in its day-to-day planning and management of Council’s open space assets and ensure that any future investment by Council in open spaces aligns with Council’s strategic open space objectives and the community's expectations.
It will focus on improving the quality and accessibility of these spaces while preserving natural areas and promoting active living. It will also addresses important matters like climate resilience and emerging technologies and will includes a framework for ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure in continues to achieve its objectives over its 20-year lifespan.
Overall, the Strategy will reflect the diverse needs, preferences, and aspirations of the community, leading to the creation of vibrant, accessible, and sustainable open spaces that enrich the quality of life for Clarence's residents.
Why is Council partnering with Park Life?
To gather valuable insights and feedback from residents and community members, Council is partnering with the Australian Park Life project, a national survey conducted by the Australian Urban Design Research Centre (AUDRC) at The University of Western Australia and the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN).
The Park Life survey is designed to ensure that Australia’s future park and greenspace development is informed by community experiences and preferences. The results of this survey will guide and assist the Open Space Strategy’s consultant in better understanding the community's needs for open space.
Using the Park Life data will allow our project team to directly compare information about Clarence's open spaces with results from other parts of Australia and obtain insights into the results from researchers who are experts in this field.
How will the Open Space Strategy be created?
Development of the Open Space Strategy will be driven by detailed research and consultation with the Clarence community.
This will include direct consultation with people who live, work in, and visit Clarence, as well as with the local sports clubs and people who use open space in Clarence.
This initial stage of community consultation through our partnership with Park Life will be open from 23 September to 3 November 2024.
Further opportunities for consultation about our open spaces will be annouced via this page and Council's Facebook page as we continue to develop the Open Space Strategy.
How will my feedback be used?
The Open Space Strategy will include two key phases of community engagement.
Parks, open space, recreation, and the environment have featured in various community consultations and conversations we have held in recent years. We have gathered all your feedback to date, and this has helped us understand what we need the Open Space Strategy to achieve and the specific challenges and opportunities it needs to address.
The information we gather from the Park Life survey and input from community conversations will help identify which actions are likely to make the biggest difference.
How to Have Your Say (Park Life Survey)
To get the most complete picture of how our community uses and enjoys its parks and open spaces, we need to hear from as many people across Clarence as possible. Whether you use our open spaces every day or not at all, your views and opinions are important.
The Park Life Survey will ask questions about things like:
The survey also asks a series of questions about your physical, social and mental well-being to help us better understand the health benefits associated with parks and outdoor spaces.
Participation in the Park Life Survey is entirely voluntary and all questions in this survey are optional. All responses will be anonymous and confidential and will only be reported or published as a group. You can withdraw at any time during the survey by simply exiting and your answers will not be saved.
We encourage you to provide candid and honest feedback, as your input will be invaluable to us and inform Council on the best way to provide open space to the community in the future.
What are the next steps?
The information and data we get through the Park Life Survey will be combined with extensive research, analysis, mapping and further conversations with the community and other stakeholders to help us develop a draft Open Space Strategy.
We are aiming to share the draft Open Space Strategy the community for consultation and feedback in early 2025.