It’s better to have no playground at all than one that’s not safe. That’s the message from the Southern Downs Regional Council.
After an audit of parks throughout the region, the council has removed playgrounds at six parks on the Southern Downs – Apex, Arcoola, Meadow Bank Estate, Mountain View, Shilliday and Pennant.
But it’s not all closures and bad news for the kids. In collaboration with the Warwick Men’s Shed, Leslie Park’s heritage roundabout has been brought back into colourful service and Queens Park, where the fitness precinct was damaged by flood waters, now has a new marine-grade – therefore able to survive water inundation – gym area. The swing at the northwest corner of the park has also been refurbished and is ready for service to give enjoyment to thousands of children in coming years.
Southern Downs Regional Council Parks and Operations Manager Chris Collingwood said the affected parks had been fenced off during the assessment process.
“It is our duty of care to maintain equipment so it is safe to use and compliant with Australian standards and guidelines, and to respond immediately when potential hazards are identified,” he said.
“The most secure way to do that is by fencing off areas of concern [until remedial work can be carried out].”
He said playground equipment had to be removed from parks where repairs would cost an unrealistic amount, particularly considering a park’s location and usage. The affected areas would be turfed and become part of the general parkland.
But the development of a Recreation and Open Space Strategy and associated playground management plan should make it easier to make future decisions on investment in replacement structures, taking into account community requirements and available funding.
One park that escaped being turfed was the Chase Estate Park. Its playground works have been finished and the playground is once again open for the serious business of child’s play.
