Davies Park’s heritage and culture to be captured

The cultural mapping of the community’s connections with West End’s Davies Park will get underway this week following Brisbane City Council’s appointment of a local organisation to collaborate on the project.

Family and Community Services Committee Chair Geraldine Knapp said community engagement and creative industries specialists Human Ventures had been chosen from the eight parties who submitted a proposal for the project.

“Human Ventures has expertise in the areas of cultural development, communication design and community based projects making them well equipped to deliver the image rich cultural map we are seeking,” Cr Knapp said.

“They also have local connections and knowledge with some of the team assigned to the project living in West End.

“Working with the local community, they will explore, define and document the culture, history and stories of Davies Park in a way that recognises and celebrates its history and contributes to its future.

“It will be an exciting process captured through photography, film, literature, events and visual arts.”

Cr Knapp said the cultural map was an important piece of work that would inform the development and implementation of the Davies Park Master Plan.

“This plan for the park’s future is currently being developed in partnership with the community, park users and tenants.

“Davies Park is one of Brisbane’s most popular parks, and is much loved by a local community that has a strong identity and is active, creative and culturally diverse.

“Through cultural mapping we will better understand the strong cultural connections to the park so that we can build on these through the master plan.

“One of the primary aims of the master plan is to help to protect, preserve and enhance the popular riverside park for the enjoyment of generations to come,” Cr Knapp said.

“Tremendous progress has been made with the master plan over the past two months. The Community Reference Group has been formed, consultation with key stakeholders is underway and ongoing, a community workshop is being held on November 7 and now, the cultural mapping can start.”

The draft Davies Park Master Plan is due to be released in late February 2010.