Client:
Hornsby Shire Council
Project Overview:
Westleigh Park historically hosted an informal mountain bike trail network situated in bushland. Council purchased adjoining land with an intent to establish a sports precinct, encompassing soccer fields and multipurpose sporting venues.
Objective:
While the broader master plan was handled separately, our role focused on developing a consensus regarding the future of the mountain bike trail network in Westleigh Park, particularly given the presence of ecologically sensitive areas.
Our Role:
Captivate Consulting was tasked with:
- Co-design Panel: Our main activity was facilitating a co-design panel, a representation of individuals from both the mountain biking and the environmental & resident groups.
- Engagement Materials: Development of fact sheets, posters, and online collateral to facilitate engagement.
- Webinar Facilitation: Facilitation of webinar featuring an academic and other vital stakeholders to present information on behalf of Council.
- Council Presentations: Periodic briefings and updates to Councillors about the project’s progress.
- Workshops: Four workshops were organized by stakeholder group (mountain bikers and environmental & resident groups), allowing for focused conversations.
Challenges:
- Historical Context: The bike trails in Westleigh Park have a long-standing history, making any proposed changes sensitive.
- Diverse Interests: The juxtaposition of mountain biking interests with ecological considerations made consensus-building tough.
Outcome:
Despite numerous challenges, the co-design panel successfully conducted three workshops. The first, an on-site workshop, involved walking through Westleigh Park and discussing the potential impacts of mountain biking. In the subsequent workshops, we engaged in deep dialogues to understand each group’s perspectives and sought to develop an approach that everyone could agree upon.
However, achieving a single consensus remained elusive. The mountain biking group proposed a network crafted over the course of the co-design sessions, while the environmental and resident groups presented a statement opposing mountain biking in ecologically sensitive areas.
Why Captivate Consulting:
The engagement process was a challenging endeavour due to the contentious nature of the project. Though full consensus was not reached, the activities provided valuable insights into stakeholder perspectives and offered a forum for those views to be formally recognised and submitted for review. Our role in structuring these conversations and providing multiple layers of engagement allowed for a comprehensive examination of the issues at hand, which is now under review. The experience has been invaluable for informing similar projects in the future.
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