Town of Victoria Park place manager David Doy.
Camera IconTown of Victoria Park place manager David Doy. Credit: Supplied/Martin Kennealey. d486506 www.communitypix.com.au

Victoria Park: Place manager David Doy chosen to lead at Town Team conference

Matt ZisSouthern Gazette

IT sounds logical, but David Doy’s key role is to ensure various council departments and different groups in the community actually work together on neighbourhood improvement projects.

In layman’s terms this might mean ensuring traffic engineers designing a four-lane road understand that business development workers are trying to create better alfresco areas for restaurants along the same street.

Increasingly, it’s about helping community groups turn their great ideas for improvement in their local area into can-do action from the local authority.

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“It’s about helping to deliver what’s appropriate for the people that live there,” the Town of Victoria Park place manager said.

One of Mr Doy’s favourite examples is John Mactivation – the current upgrade at John MacMillan Park.

What started as a plan to upgrade the park’s public toilets has grown to include a concept plan for a natureplay area and discussions about how programs at the adjacent library could make use of the outdoors improvements – and even whether the library building could be redesigned for an indoor-outdoor approach.

Mr Doy will this week aim to inspire a wider audience about how to actually implement the changes a community wants through governance and administering effective public engagement.

He is among the guest speakers at the two-day Town Team Movement Conference on Friday and Saturday that will explore ideas and opportunities for building more socially connected and vibrant town centres.

“Our focus is on giving practical advice to local governments on how to respond, how to structure, how to work with the people and groups who have great ideas and how to break down any silos that exist,” Mr Doy said.

Town Team Movement chief executive Dean Cracknell said that the conference would include some of the best thinkers and ‘doers’ in Australia.

“These speakers will provide ideas and practical tips on how to create positive change in local communities,” he said.

“We’ll also be showcasing the ‘town team’ model and the amazing work of local town teams.”