By Mandy Oakham
A “people power” make-over could be a simple and cheap solution to Geelong’s inner-city image problem, according to a Deakin University researcher.
Matt Novacevski wants to plant a few cactuses and a few simple ideas on how Geelong people could take control of their own streets, especially the mall area, to make the city feel safer and happier.
Mr Novacevski wants Geelong people to look down the road and learn the lessons of the “bollart“ in the big smoke of Melbourne.
What started out as a loud public outcry about huge ugly blocks of concrete being dumped on the streets had now turned into a chorus of appreciation as each day new colourful and humorous versions of the bollart appeared, he said.
“It’s lovely to walk out of Southern Cross Railway Station and to see how people are interacting with these works of public art.
“We need to bring joy back into our city streets and we need to take that responsibility on as people who live in this city, in other words – it has to be bottom up, not top down.
“Walk around Lt Malop St and feel the difference in atmosphere to walking around the mall. It’s amazing what a difference some cactuses, other plants and wall paintings can make.”
Mr Novacevski has been researching public places in the Geelong area and how to make people feel safer in them.
His work alongside Dr Fiona Gray, an Adjunct Associate Professor at Deakin’s Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, has been centred on how “unkind architecture” affects public perceptions of safety.
“If you walk through the city mall area what do you see? There are concrete walls, concrete walk ways, security grills, nothing for people to interact with,” Mr Novacevski said.
“It’s time to give people back a sense that this is their space and it is easy to do small things, which if people think up for themselves then it gives them back a sense of security about their own public spaces.”
Mr Novacevski said authorities should support and encourage the repurposing of Melbourne’s safety bollards, installed following vehicle attacks in the city and around the world.
Mr Novacevski said neither he nor his colleagues had been approached as yet to join next week’s summit of council and police leaders to discuss problems associated with Geelong’s mall.
The summit is being called to discuss ways of improving behaviour in the mall.
