Phase One engagement for the City Oval Precinct Masterplan has now concluded, with strong participation from community members, sporting clubs and key stakeholders.

City Oval is one of Ballarat’s most significant sporting and community precincts, with a history dating back more than 125 years. The masterplan will provide a clear 10-year vision to guide future upgrades and improvements while preserving the precinct’s heritage character and ensuring it remains accessible, safe and welcoming for all users.

What Phase One focused on

Phase One engagement sought to understand:

• How the precinct is currently used
• Community aspirations for its future
• Priorities for improvement across sport, recreation and public space

Engagement activities included stakeholder meetings, targeted sessions with cultural groups and advisory committees, letterbox drops, social media promotion and the MySay platform.

Who we heard from

• Over 150 individual survey responses
• 15 group submissions
• Multiple face-to-face sessions with community members and key stakeholders

What we heard

Several consistent themes emerged through the engagement process:

• Accessibility and inclusivity: improved paths, accessible toilets and female-friendly change rooms
• Sporting infrastructure: upgrades to football and netball facilities, including a second netball court and modernised change rooms
• Public amenities: distributed toilets, seating, shade and drinking water
• Community activation: opportunities for markets, cultural events and passive recreation
• Safety and connectivity: better lighting, improved traffic flow and safer pedestrian access
• Heritage preservation: maintaining and enhancing the grandstand and mature trees
• Shared use: multipurpose spaces such as Saxon House for clubs and community functions

What happens next?

Using the insights gathered through Phase One, Council will now appoint a consultant to prepare a draft masterplan reflecting community priorities where possible and aligning with strategic objectives.

Phase Two engagement will then provide an opportunity for the community and stakeholders to review and provide feedback on the draft masterplan before it is finalised and presented to Council for consideration in 2026.

Read the full Phase One Engagement Report here.