CONCEPT PLANS
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IT APPEARS Bega will finally get a new inclusive and accessible playground.
However, questions remain as to how families and children will access the playground in the first place.
At their meeting on Wednesday, Bega Valley Shire councillors voted unanimously to forge ahead with a proposal to develop children’s playgrounds at both Bega Park in Bega and Ford Park in Merimbula.
Concept plans for both playgrounds will be put to a preferred tenderer, Viva Recreation, after all tenders received for the proposal were rejected on the basis they may not deliver the best outcomes for inclusiveness.
It was also determined that both projects would proceed together to provide the best value for money.
Despite assurances the play equipment would be inclusive and accessible to all, several councillors raised questions about Bega Park’s suitability to those users who may have mobility issues or children with disability.
Parker St is renowned as one of the steepest in town and the park itself undulates steeply from Parker St and Park Lane down towards the Bega Swimming Pool and Upper St boundary.
Kirsty Umbers is one of a group of parents and families who have been pushing for a children’s playground in Bega in discussion with the council for the past 18 months.
Just this week she and around 10 other Bega mothers and parents had a catch-up play time – in Candelo.
She said the council’s decision to move forward with plans to install a playground in Bega was great, but parents still had questions.
“We don’t need the flashiest park – just some equipment, shelter, somewhere to sit, toilets and maybe a barbecue area,” Ms Umbers said on Thursday.
“We are not expecting a completely enclosed park, but if the plan is to install equipment accessible to everyone, you need to be able to get them to the park in the first place.”
She said the council had talked about making the playground “feel like an enclosure without being enclosed” (i.e no fence).
“But that’s the reality,” she said, pointing out her son chasing after birds and racing towards the street.
After a short pause while she retrieved him, Ms Umbers continued.
“I’m sure it’s more complex than us just saying put a park in, but I do hope they [the council] are serious this time.
“We want to remain positive and continue working with council.
“Surely a town like Bega deserves a decent park.
“Let’s get something happening.”
Group manager of community relations and leisure Anthony Basford said access to the Bega play equipment would include a pathway of suitably safe gradient from Parker St.
However, he stopped short of stating fencing would be included in the project and, responding to a query about off-street parking, said “there was scope to look at options in the future”.
There was also “scope” to look at providing a toilet facility in the future, he said, but that also was not part of the council’s current design brief.