Last month, Wollongong City Council endorsed a tender for the first stage of works on the new All Ages All Abilities Playground at Stuart Park. This is an exciting next step for the project that aims to make play accessible to everyone!
The community-driven project will provide opportunities for children, young people, and adults with disability to enjoy a range of play options.
Work on the new playground will include:
- Earthworks and foundations
- Building new footpaths
- Installation of playground equipment, including softfall
- Stormwater and other minor works to existing services
- Landscaping works such as plantings, mulch, turf, edging and stonework
- Installation of park furniture
- Construction of new disabled vehicle bus bays.
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said now that the tender had been endorsed, work on the new playground would start soon.
"This is a very exciting project and one that has been some time in the making. It's important we get this right and that is why we have worked collaboratively with a range of stakeholders on the delivery of this playground,'' Cr Bradbery said.
"We needed to consider what will deliver the best play options for the city, as well as how this site is integrated into the broader uses of Stuart Park and the key role it plays in the city's social landscape as well as its cultural and historical significance."
Image: There will be something for everyone, like the wheelchair accessible carousel.
The All Ages All Abilities Playground was informed by The Playground Project which is a collaboration between the University of Wollongong, the Disability Trust and Council. The Playground Project worked with young people and adults with disability, including those with intellectual disability, to understand their play preferences. Council also talked with young people with disability to find out what they would like included in this space.
Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said that he was pleased to be able to share an update on the project with the Wollongong community.
"Council has a commitment to supporting people with disability to access all aspects of community life, including play opportunities," Mr Doyle said.
"It's been a privilege to be able to work with community members and local organisations to come up with a design that is inclusive and offers a real variety of fun play options. There has been a considerable amount of community interest in this project. I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has shared their support to make this possible."
Image: Balance Beams offer a fun challenge for children and people with disability.
Member for Cunningham, Ms Alison Byrnes MP said:
"This is a great investment for our local community with Wollongong City Council and the Commonwealth Government working together to make sure that our public spaces and are accessible and inclusive for all abilities and all ages," Ms Byrnes said.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said the NSW Government has invested $20 million in inclusive play spaces across NSW, including $200,000 to the Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities project through the Everyone Can Play program.
"I have supported this project from day one," Mr Scully said.
"Creating high quality and well located public open spaces where people of all abilities can come together with their friends and family is a priority for our government.
"It is critical that we create great inclusive public open spaces."
This project is jointly funded by the Australian Government, the NSW Government, Wollongong City Council and community and business supporters.
Australian Government funding of $500,000 was provided through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program. This Program supports local councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across the nation, supporting jobs and delivering benefits to local communities.
