Neighbourhood protector Sharon Hamilton has been recognised on the city stage for her 12 years of service to the community.
She is one of seven others recognised at the 2024 Logan Safe City Awards last week for their efforts improving the city’s safety.
Ms Hamilton in 2012 helped create the Woodlands Neighbourhood Watch in Waterford, becoming the group’s secretary and treasurer.
Since then she has offered practical advice and emotional support to local families, joined the Neighbourhood Watch Queensland State Community Advisory Committee, and was last year named Logan’s Community Member of the Year.
She is also a volunteer with the Logan Dementia Alliance Choir, which performed at last Wednesday’s awards ceremony.
Logan mayor Jon Raven thanked Ms Hamilton for her commitment to the community.
“I’m so grateful to Sharon and her fellow Neighbourhood Watch volunteers across our city – they’re the reason Logan is such a great place to raise a family,” Cr Raven said.
“Community safety is a team effort and volunteers like Sharon are our MVPs.”
The Queensland Police Service’s ‘Project Booyah’, a mentoring program for young people, won the Innovation in Community Safety/Crime Prevention award for helping locals “boost their self-worth and build resilience through adventure-based learning”.
The Safer Community Places and Spaces award went to the local council’s parks design team for the Eridani Park Redevelopment, in which community feedback was used to create a more inviting, accessible, and enjoyable space.
Finally, the Collaboration in Community Safety/Crime Prevention​ was also awarded to council’s parks design team for the development of Riverdale Park.
Staff worked with Loganlea High School Year 9 students to select and develop the park’s dinosaur theme, which council says has become a popular community feature and attracted more visitors to the area.
Other mentions went to:
- Innovation in Community Safety/Crime Prevention: Multicultural Police Liaison Officer Peiman Mirzaei for a program that involved students creating artwork conveying community safety messages. Also, to Wheeltnutz Garage for its Shifting Gears program that supports vulnerable youth at risk of entering the youth justice system.
- Safer Community Places and Spaces: Logan City Council’s public lighting team for upgrading lighting at Logan Gardens to boost safety.
- Collaboration in Community Safety/Crime Prevention​: Defenders for Hope for its ‘A Van for a Nan’ program, which sees refurbished vans given to women over 60 experiencing homelessness.
