HeritACT at Ballina Heritage Day 2024: Community Engagement and Minecraft Creativity Drive Heritage Reactivation

On July 10th, 2024, HeritACT hub in Ballina hosted a successful Heritage Day pop-up event on Pearse Street, where community members of all ages came together to shape the future of their town. The event featured an innovative voting survey for adults and engaging Minecraft gameplay activities for children, both aimed at reactivating key heritage sites in Ballina.

Adults participated in a detailed voting survey, prioritising HeritACT solutions for various heritage activation sites throughout Ballina. These sites, chosen for their significant contribution to the town’s cultural identity, are set to transform based on community input. The survey invited participants to rank interventions for each site, ensuring the chosen solutions reflect the needs and desires of Ballina's citizens.

Children participated in HERIcraft, a special Minecraft session, where they worked both individually and in groups to envision their ideal Ballina. Through Minecraft, children introduced a variety of interventions, including colourful playgrounds, houses, IT shops, and swimming pools, reflecting their vision for a vibrant and active community. This creative exercise engaged young citizens in gameplay and used Minecraft as a tool to visualise their ideas and needs for their town’s future.

The Ballina Heritage Day pop-up event was a resounding success, highlighting the power of community engagement in heritage reactivation. By combining the voting survey with Hericraft Minecraft sessions, the event ensured that voices of all ages were heard and considered. The input gathered will play a crucial role in shaping the architectural designs and implementation of HeritACT solutions, driving Ballina towards a brighter, more connected future.

The voting survey is still open and all citizens are welcome to participate online.