Playground Strategy 2016 - 2036

Consultation Draft November 2015

Contents Section 1 - Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5

Vision................................................................................................................................................ 6 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Scope ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Strategic Context .............................................................................................................................. 6 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Review .............................................................................................................................................. 9

Section 2 - Wagga Wagga’s Playground Network ........................................................................................... 10 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

Existing Playground Network ......................................................................................................... 10 Age and Condition of Playgrounds ................................................................................................. 10 Equipment type ............................................................................................................................... 12 Playground Distribution .................................................................................................................. 12 Existing Soft Fall and Edging Materials ......................................................................................... 16

Section 3 - Design and Provision ...................................................................................................................... 17 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14

Play space and age groups of children ............................................................................................ 17 Wagga Wagga Demographics and New Subdivisions .................................................................... 17 Classification of Playgrounds ......................................................................................................... 22 Park Land Selection Principles ....................................................................................................... 25 Play Equipment Selection Principles .............................................................................................. 26 Support Infrastructure Selection Principles .................................................................................... 27 Risk Management and Safety Standards ......................................................................................... 28 Access and Equity Issues ................................................................................................................ 28 Community Consultation for New Playgrounds ............................................................................. 29 Natural Play spaces ......................................................................................................................... 30 Softfall ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Shade and Sun Protection ............................................................................................................... 31 Fencing ........................................................................................................................................... 32 Minimising Maintenance by Design ............................................................................................... 32

Section 4 – Playground Asset Management ..................................................................................................... 34 4.1 4.2

Asset Management .......................................................................................................................... 34 Partnership Opportunities ............................................................................................................... 35

Section 5 –Issues and Recommended Action Plan ........................................................................................... 37 5.1 5.2 5.3

Public Consultation Results ............................................................................................................ 37 Maintenance Budget ....................................................................................................................... 48 Playground Development Requirements ........................................................................................ 49

References ........................................................................................................................................................ 50 Appendix 1: 2014 User / Neighbour Interview Questions ................................................................................ 51 Appendix 2 Playground Renewal Plan sorted by Suburb then Asset Name - alphabetical order ..................... 52 Appendix 3: Results from Benchmarking Exercise with other Councils .......................................................... 57 Appendix 4: An example of a consultation flyer referring people to the funbobulator .................................... 60 Appendix 5: Results from the peoples panel community consultation ............................................................. 61 Appendix 6: Playground Maintenance Management ........................................................................................ 62 6.1 6.2 6.3

Safety Inspections ........................................................................................................................... 62 Maintenance .................................................................................................................................... 62 Handover of a new installations from playground suppliers........................................................... 63

Page 2

Executive Summary Wagga Wagga is known as Australia’s most family friendly city (Suncorp Bank 2014). One of the incentives for families to relocate in Wagga Wagga could be attributed to the quality open space available within the Local Government Area (LGA). Wagga Wagga’s 91 playgrounds form an important component of the open space contributing to the creation of great play spaces.

Play has a critical role in childhood development and in an urbanised setting outside play in nature has special significance. This Strategy provides a policy framework to guide future play space development in Wagga Wagga. The Strategy takes an approach that outlines the importance of diversity in recreation (i.e. not providing the same play experience everywhere); and the importance of the power of play and social interaction in child development.

In preparing this Strategy community consultation was carried out via 168 playground neighbour and user interviews. Using the results of these interviews, along with data produced via a data recording phone app, it is estimated that Council playgrounds receive 9,606 visits per week.

The results of the community consultation along with feedback from Council’s People’s Panel has indicated that community members prefer to use larger playgrounds because of the greater variety of activities, more support infrastructure for carers and the better shade protection. Generally the small local playgrounds are not providing these services to a level that is meeting community expectations.

Despite this, small playgrounds are still considered important as they are within walking distance (500 metres) of most residents.

One reason for the increased expectation in play variety is the recent development of two (2) large regional playgrounds (the Botanic Gardens Adventure playground and Apex Park). The data collected has demonstrated that these playgrounds are very popular with high visitation numbers due to the wide range of play elements and support infrastructure.

This Strategy aims over the next 20 years to provide a balance between quality playspaces that provide adequate stimulation for children and services for carers, and the number of spaces that can be financially supported by Council.

Over the life of this Strategy 10 new playgrounds will be required in land releases at Lloyd, Estella and Forest Hill. The Strategy will also ensure a level of service to residents by providing a suburban or regional quality playground in Ashmont, Central, Estella, Kooringal, Lake Albert, Lloyd, Tolland and Turvey Park.

Page 3

Wagga Wagga City Council Playground (PG) Hierarchy Category

PG Average Value

Example

Toilets

No

Average renewal period (actual renewals will occur based on asset condition) 20 years refurbish; 30 years renewal 20 years

Local Minor

$40,000

No

Local Major

$60,000

Suburban

$100,000

Regional

$200,000+

Simmons Street, Central Webb Park, Ashmont Henwood Park, Kooringal Botanic Gardens, Turvey Park

Yes

20 years

Yes

20 years

The recommendations that will be required to achieve the aims of this Strategy are: Recommendation 1: Increase the number of regional playgrounds from two (2) (Apex Park and Botanics) to four (4) inclusive of a new Wagga Beach playground and the replacement Bolton Park playground which will be relocated adjacent to the skate park.

Recommendation 2: Provide a Suburban Playground in most large residential suburbs that are not near a Regional Playground. These suburbs are Ashmont (Webb Park), Forest Hill (Oval), Glenfield (South City Shopping centre), Kooringal (Henwood Park), Tolland (Chambers Park), and Turvey Park (Kidsville Botanics) Recommendation 3: Categorise local playgrounds in Local Major and Local Minor. Where appropriate plan for local minors to be refurbished after 20 years and then renewed after a further 10 years; plan for all the other playgrounds to be renewed after 20 years. Final determination on the timing of playground renewals will be based on the asset condition ratings.

Recommendation 4: That Council consider increasing the existing playground capital renewal budget from $168,826 (2015/2016) to $229,100, an increase of $60,274. These funds are to be placed in a playground reserve to allow appropriate budgets for playground renewals as required by asset condition and age.

Recommendation 5: That Council consider increasing the annual playground maintenance budget from $50,750 to $91,335, an increase of $40,585. This will ensure compliance with the current Australian maintenance standards. This budget should continue to be increased annually in line with CPI. Recommendation 6: That Council continue to explore partnership opportunities in order to maximise the community benefits of the playground network.

Recommendation 7: That Council increase the annual playground maintenance budget by $800 (Local Minor or Major); $2,500 (Suburban); or $5,000 (Regional) each time a new playground is added to the network Recommendation 8: That when a new playground is built, Council increase the playground annual capital reserve to cover the cost of the future renewal. The annual increase shall be calculated based on the Capital cost of the new playground divided by 20 years (average useful life).

Recommendation 9: That Council when preparing, assessing or amending Development Control Plans (DCPs) or residential master plans require the developer to provide a Parks and Open Space Strategy for the development. This will demonstrate the application of the principles and guidelines identified in:

Page 4

a) Section 3 of this Playground Strategy and, b) NSW Government Premier’s Council for Active Living NSW Guideline - Development & Active Living: Designing projects for active living (2010).

Recommendation 10: That universal design principles be considered for all new playground developments.

Recommendation 11: That Council require the installation of parks and playgrounds at an early stage of all residential developments.

Page 5

Section 1 - Introduction 1.1

Vision

Wagga Wagga is known as a family friendly city and a city of good sports. Playgrounds perform an important role in attracting and keeping families within the city. Playgrounds are also one of the most utilised recreation assets Council maintains with approximately 500,000 annual visitations. The vision for this strategy is: “Wagga Wagga will continue to be recognised for being one of Australia’s most family friendly cities through the sustainable provision and management of high quality, accessible, diverse, innovative, safe, and fun playgrounds that contribute to the developmental needs of all children. These play spaces will become community hubs that encourage interaction and community wellbeing.”

1.2

Purpose

This Strategy will be a single document that will guide all aspects of playground management. The primary purposes of this strategy are: •

Listen to the communities expectations by completing consultations and documenting the feedback received

•

Ensure the community has access to quality playgrounds for the next 20 years by applying best practice asset management principles

•

Create great future play spaces in new subdivisions by providing policy directions to inform the Local Environment Plan (LEP) and inform future Development Control Plans (DCP)

•

Ensure the future financial sustainability of the playground network

A secondary purpose of this Strategy is to provide guidelines on maintenance management of playgrounds. This document is presented in Appendix 6.

1.2

Scope

The scope of this Strategy is to review the provision and maintenance of the following recreational assets: • Playground equipment • Playground support infrastructure that is funded from the playground budget. This includes edging; softfall; trees; tree guards; shade sails; fences; signage; and furniture (bins, seats and picnic settings) that is directly associated with the playground • Parkland if the playground is the primary feature of the open space.

The following assets categories are considered important to support play spaces. Depending on the size of the playground some or all of these assets will be provided: • BBQs • Toilets • Shelters • Irrigation 1.3

Strategic Context

Playgrounds are important in supporting the physical, social and intellectual development of children.

They also play a key role in providing great outdoor spaces ensuring a diverse range of recreational and social opportunities for young children and caregivers.

Page 6

Families utilise these outdoor spaces for: 1.

2.

3.

4.

General play time Picnics and get-togethers Refuges from urban stress Centres of community activity, where people go to meet and socialise with their friends and peers (Ryan 2006).

The planning context for this Strategy is set by the following Council documentation and Government legislation: Wagga Wagga - Recreation and Open Space Strategy (ROSS 2005) – This document provides strategic direction on the development and management of sport and recreation in Wagga Wagga.

The current strategy is for the period 2005-2015 and will be reviewed during 2015/2016. Specific playground goals in the strategy are: 13. Prepare a playground strategy, which will consider the provision of a hierarchy of play spaces, increased diversity of play equipment, and equitable distribution across the LGA. 14. Construct a new regional “all abilities” playground consideration of location, design, management and cost.

for

the

LGA,

having

This Strategy fulfils goal 13 above. The adventure playground developed previously at Botanic Gardens partly fulfils goal 14 above. The new all abilities playground at Bolton Park will completely fulfil goal 14.

Community Strategic Plan (Ruby and Oliver) has the following references to recreation in its list of goals, which playgrounds contribute.

1. Goal: We have opportunities and places for connection.

Measure: We use sports, recreation, arts and leisure as ways of staying connected.

Target: Increased community satisfaction with the variety of leisure and recreation options.

2. Goal: We have an active and healthy community).

Measure: We have access to beautiful parks and recreational spaces throughout the community.

Target: Improved community satisfaction with the presentation of parks and gardens.

The implementation of this Strategy will contribute by ensuring the communities continued access to quality play spaces.

Environment Planning and Assessment Act (EP&A) (1979) – This document guides the planning and development processes within Council. Local Planning documents that sit under this Act are the Local Environment Plan (LEP) (2010) and Development Control Plans (DCP). The provision of Open Space (playground development) in new subdivisions is guided by these documents. Also under the EP&A Act are the State Environment Planning Policies 2007 (SEPP). SEPPs that are relevant to parks and playground planning are: 1. SEPP Infrastructure (2007) No 64-66 – Exempt and Complying Development: Lists infrastructure projects that do not require development consent. Playground construction is carried out under this SEPP. 2. SEPP Infrastructure 19 – Bushland in Urban Areas: The general aim of this Policy is to protect and preserve bushland within urban areas because of its value to the community as part of the natural heritage and its aesthetic and recreational values. Willans Hill is a good example of such an area.

3. SEPP No 64 – Advertising and Signage: The aims of this Policy that are relevant to Parks is to ensure signage is compatible with the desired amenity and visual character of an area and to regulate the display of advertisements in transport corridors.

It is anticipated that future development planning will be assisted by this Strategy as it will provide policy direction to inform future DCPs. Wagga Wagga City Council Spatial Plan (SP) 2013/2043 provides clear strategic indicators for development of Wagga Wagga over the next 30 years and beyond. The future urban releases

Page 7

identified in the SP have provided the platform for proposed locations of new playgrounds in these releases.

1.4

Methodology

Overview The methodology used to prepare this Strategy was: 1. A literature review including internal documents, with a focus on playground planning 2. A review of asset and GIS data 3. Interviews of users and neighbours of each playground on the nature of use and improvement requests 4. Presentations and discussions with internal stakeholder divisions of Council 5. Benchmarking against 11 other Councils 6. A review of demographic data and population projections 7. Further consultation with the community through the People’s Panel 8. Formulation of conclusions and recommendations Community Consultation (Playgrounds) – 2010 Community consultation via a playground survey was completed 2010. Surveys were distributed throughout Wagga Wagga (and the surrounding LGA) at preschools, kindergarten and primary school network via email, published on Council’s website, through local media channels and available at the Civic Centre.

The questions that were asked in 2010 were: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

How often do you visit your local playground?

Why do you visit your local playground?

When do you visit your local playground?

Where do you travel from to get to your local playground?

How do you normally get to your local playground?

How long does it usually take to get to your local playground?

How long do you stay?

Number of people in your local playground?

Knowledge of your local playground?

Do you think there is an adequate supply of playgrounds in Wagga Wagga?

Most visited playgrounds in Wagga Wagga?

What do you regard as a good playground in Wagga Wagga?

Good examples of playgrounds outside of Wagga Wagga?

Staff collated an action plan from the results. Table 1.1 lists the actions and the current status of implementation.

Table 1.1 Status of 2010 Playground Consultation

Actions and Recommendations from 2010 Community Survey

Status

1

Commit priority capital expenditure budget of $300,000 a year over the next five (5) years.

Budget was increased to $150,000 per year

2

Assess the need to rationalise playground signage Signage requirements are considered as across the playground network. a part of all new playground developments and renewals.

3

Revise inspection regime of playgrounds to increase inspections of “high use’ facilities.

All playgrounds are inspected bi-monthly

Page 8

4

Investigate feasibility of a full time Playground Maintenance and Inspection Officer to manage playground network.

Works and Playground Officer has been predominately dedicated to playgrounds since 2011

6

Purchase a portable unit for inputting and recording playground data on site.

Completed – Motion Tablet PC used

7

Implement a new asset management data system Completed – Data now stored in Assetic that allows for increased capacity and integrates system with existing council systems

8

Improve handover procedures with playground installers to ensure compliance plates and letters of compliance are received

Council requires compliance documentation from installers prior to payment

9

Increase community consultation into installation of new playgrounds to develop a sense of community ownership.

Council has designed and implemented the use of the funbobulator online playground consultation tool. Letter box drop and park signage are also used prior to design and installation of new or replacement playground. See Appendix 5 for an example of a flyer.

10

Through community consultation identify where the current playground network can be rationalised.

Addressed in this strategy

Community Consultation – 2014 In January 2014 a community engagement plan was developed. The key deliverable within this plan was the completion of field interviews with users and neighbors of each playground. The rationale behind this engagement process was that neighbours and regular users have a better understanding of the number and type of users. This engagement was carried out between January and May 2014.

One (1) to two (2) users or neighboring households were interviewed per playground with a total of 168 interviews completed. The information sought was the type and nature of users and improvement requests. (Appendix 1).

Along with the interviews, an iPhone app was developed to allow Council staff to carry out playground spot counts. These were done during the period January to August 2014. Random spot counts were taken across the LGA during ideal conditions of play. Data collected was site; suburb; number of people using the play equipment; total number of people in the play space; date; time; and weather conditions. 340 counts were recorded. Results from the interviews and iphone counts are presented and discussed in Section 5 of this strategy.

In March 2015 further consultation with the community occurred via Council’s People’s Panel (PP).

Council established the PP in 2014 to obtain feedback from a broad range of people from a variety of backgrounds within the Wagga community through an online discussion. There are 97 individuals / groups who participate in the PP. The panel; members were provided with a series of questions about playgrounds in two (2) formats. One was a survey while another was an online discussion forum. A summary of the results from the panel can be seen in Appendix 6.

1.5

Review

This Strategy will be reviewed every five (5) years or as required in line with statutory requirements.

Page 9

Section 2 - Wagga Wagga’s Playground Network

2.1

Existing Playground Network

Wagga Wagga City Council manages 91 playgrounds within the LGA and across its rural villages.

There are currently 88 local playgrounds, two (2) suburban (district) playgrounds and two (2) regional playgrounds which have been identified as part of this strategy.

Table 2.1 is the number of playgrounds in the Wagga Wagga LGA located in each suburb and their average age. The village playgrounds are all under 10 years old as Council has received grants in recent years allowing for their renewal. For specific details on each playground see Appendix 2.

Table 2.1 Number of Playground by Suburb

Suburb ASHMONT BOURKELANDS COLLINGULLIE CURRAWARNA ESTELLA FOREST HILL GALORE GLENFIELD PARK HUMULA KOORINGAL LADYSMITH LAKE ALBERT LLOYD MANGOPLAH MOUNT AUSTIN NORTH WAGGA WAGGA OURA SAN ISIDORE TARCUTTA TATTON TOLLAND TURVEY PARK URANQUINTY WAGGA WAGGA BROOKDALE Grand Total

2.2

Count of Suburb 6 5 2 1 2 4 1 8 1 8 1 9 1 2 3 1 1 1 2 3 4 7 3 14 1 91

Average Age 17 5 12 7 13 9 7 11 7 13 8 11 11 24 6 3 10 7 10 11 9 14 14 15 4 12

Age and Condition of Playgrounds

The average playground age in the Wagga Wagga LGA is 12 years. A playgrounds useful life is approximately 20 years and as such the majority condition of the network is assessed as average and above.

Page 10

Figure 2.1 Number of Playgrounds by Condition

Number of Playgrounds by Condition 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1 Excellent

2 Good

3 Average

4 Poor

Figure 2.2 Average Age of Playgrounds by Condition

Average Age (Years) of Playgrounds by Condition 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1 Excellent

2 Good

3 Average

4 Poor

Page 11

2.3

Equipment type

Currently there is a wide variety of equipment types within playgrounds. Common pieces of equipment include swings, rockers, climbing nets/walls, slides, spinners and free standing platform units. Equipment in the last 20 years has focussed on “off the shelf colourful plastic� playgrounds.

Community consultation has requested for more natural play using features like rocks, logs, vegetation and topography to create imaginative play.

2.4

Playground Distribution

The 91 playgrounds are spread across 25 suburbs or localities (Figure 2.4 below). Eleven of these are in rural villages. The remaining 80 are in the Wagga Wagga Urban area.

Figure 2.4 Average Age and Number of Playgrounds by Suburb

Average Age in years (blue) and number (red) of Playgrounds by Suburb 25

20

15

10

5

0

The six (6) maps below (Figure 2.5 and 2.10) show the distribution of playgrounds across the LGA and urban areas.

Page 12

Figure 2.5

Current Distribution of Playgrounds across Wagga Wagga LGA

Figure 2.6

Current Distribution of Playgrounds across Wagga Wagga Urban Area

Page 13

Figure 2.7

Current Distribution of Playgrounds across Wagga Wagga Urban Area – North

Figure 2.8

Current Distribution of Playgrounds across Wagga Wagga Urban Area – South

Page 14

Figure 2.9

Current Distribution of Playgrounds in Forest Hill

Figure 2.10

Current Distribution of Playgrounds in Uranquinty

Page 15

2.5

Existing Soft Fall and Edging Materials

The current playground network includes a variety of softfall types and edging. Wood chip/natural bark is the predominate type of softfall used in the playgrounds, typically with timber or plastic style edging. Wet pour rubber and synthetic softfall types are used within high usage playgrounds.

Currently Wagga Wagga only has rubber softfall at two (2) playground locations, being Botanic Gardens Adventure Playground and, Bosley Memorial Park (Lake Albert).

In addition to this many high wear areas such as under swings have rubber pads under them. These have a useful life of approximately 10 years.

Page 16

Section 3 - Design and Provision 3.1

Play space and age groups of children

When designing a new playground, or upgrading an existing, it is important to consider both the equipment design and the context within the park that the equipment is being placed. This context is often referred to as the ‘Play space’ Figure 3.1 below identifies the key elements of a play space.

Figure 3.1 Elements of a Play space

Non Structured Play Imaginative or Creative Play

Equipment and Active Play

Special Feature

Adult/ Care giver spaces

Source: The Good Play Space Guide: “I can play too”. (2007).

A report by the Children’s Institute for Learning and Development (CHILD) in 2004 distinguished children into three (3) main age groups based on ability. These age groups are 0 to 3 years; 4 to 7 years; and 8 to 12 years. If we consider this in relation to the elements of play model, we can identify the development needs of children in each group, and subsequently highlight appropriate equipment, facilities and environments for playground design based on each age group. This will assist Council in providing diversity in playground provision for children of all ages across the LGA.

3.2

Wagga Wagga Demographics and New Subdivisions

The life of this strategy is 20 years, inclusive of 2016 to 2036. Population Forecast ID website, which draws information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, states Wagga Wagga Local Government Area had a 2014 population of 63,847 growing to 80,410 in 2036 (Forecast ID).

Therefore playground demand will increase in the future, particularly around new urban releases.

Table 3.1 represents data that needs to be considered when designing and providing playgrounds.

This strategy states that the major users of playgrounds are children 12 years and under. The data below references children 14 years and younger which is in line with the collected ABS data.

Page 17

Table 3.1 Demographic Data affecting Playground Design

Families

% Un employed

Median Age

Median Household Income

Vehicles / Dwelling

Kooringal

2021

4.9

37

1021

1.6

Lake Albert

1666

3.9

38

1436

2.1

Wagga Central

1540

5.8

35

978

1.4

Glenfield Park

1448

4.0

30

1325

1.8

Ashmont

1035

9.9

31

770

1.5

Mount Austin

1028

8.2

37

794

1.4

Tolland

963

8.3

34

853

1.5

Turvey Park

889

4.8

34

1340

1.6

Bourkelands

626

2.6

33

1694

2.0

Tatton

554

2.5

36

1881

1.9

Estella

468

3.1

31

1367

1.9

Forest Hill

465

3.2

24

1203

1.8

Nth Wagga

200

2.2

39

1164

2.1

Lloyd

150

2.3

33

1664

1.9

Suburb

Source http://forecast.id.com.au/wagga-wagga/about-forecast-areas/?WebID=120

The key points from the above table when considering playground development are: • • • •

Unemployment is the highest in Ashmont followed by Tolland and Mt Austin Lake Albert has the highest median age while Forest Hill has the youngest by a significant margin Tatton has the highest median income, while Ashmont has the lowest Lake Albert and North Wagga families have access to the most cars

Page 18

Table 3.2 (below) gives the 2011 and 2036 forecasted population for each of the urban suburbs.

Table 3.2 Population Growth by Urban Suburb

Suburb

Pop. 2011

Pop. 2036

% Increase

Estella

2513

8243

228%

Nth Wagga/Farrer Rd

1126

3417

203%

Lloyd / Springvale

3016

7525

150%

Forest Hill

2850

4165

46%

Wagga Wagga Central

7300

9566

31%

Bourkelands / Tatton

4649

5412

16%

Lake Albert

6178

6726

9%

Kooringal

7494

8028

7%

Mount Austin

4159

4381

5%

Tolland

3692

3799

3%

Turvey Park

3686

3625

-2%

Glenfield Park

5464

5281

-3%

Ashmont

4225

4049

-4%

16805

32916

96%

Totals Source

http://forecast.id.com.au/wagga-wagga/population-age-structure?WebID=210

The high growth areas of Lloyd, Estella and Forest Hill will require additional playgrounds in the future. Wagga Wagga Central, Tatton and Bourkelands are well catered for even with the growth as shown in Table 3.2.

The Wagga Wagga Local Environment Plan 2010 identifies Boorooma, Estella, Gobbagombalin and Lloyd as urban release areas. These releases occur within the high growth areas listed above. Table 3.3 below lists the playground requirements for each. A maximum of 300 children under 14 per playground has been used as a guide to number of new playgrounds needed. This figure was established by the number of children per existing playground in Wagga Wagga (see figure 5.7) and the benchmarking exercise carried out with 11 other Councils (see figure 5.8).

The maps (Figure 3.2 to 3.4) below give indicative locations for 10 new playgrounds to meet the future demands. The above demographics, 500m catchment zones and suitably available land were factors used to guide the new playground distribution. The 500m catchment was chosen as it is understood to be a reasonable distance a family could be expected to walk to a park. Most of the other Council’s benchmarked use figure similar to 500m (see Appendix 3). The Premier’s Council for Active Living NSW in their Development & Active Living: Designing projects for active living (2010) guide recommends a 400m radius, however the way the existing playground network has been developed the most feasible option in the Wagga Wagga Urban area is a radius of 500m.

Page 19

Table 3.3 Playground Requirements for New Urban Releases using a maximum of 300 children under 14 per playground Release Name

Location

Estella including Gobbagombalin (Estella Rise) & Boorooma (see Figure 3.2) Forest Hill South (See figure 3.3) Lloyd (see Figure 3.4)

Estella and University Precinct

South West corner of Forest Hill South West side of Glenfield

Nearest Existing Playground (PG) Gunn Dr Estella and Boorooma Park

Year 2036 Children under 14

Boree Ave Park Forest Hill

901

4

1

Lloyd Park and Undurra Dr

1,799

1

5

2,018

Number of Existing PGs 3

Estimated New PGs Required 4

Source for Children under 14 numbers in 2036: Forecast.id

The Estella precinct will require four (4) new playgrounds giving it a total of seven (7) playgrounds.

This will cater for the 2,018 children predicted by 2036. There will be 288 children under 14 per playground. The Estella master plans provide sufficient usable land to develop the playgrounds in the west. In the east however the proposed RE1 land (Explorer Park) is rocky and steep. Therefore it is proposed that the playground for this area be constructed at the northern end of Linear Park. This is not as central as would normally be preferred but is considered the best option.

Forest Hill will require one new playground giving it a total of five (5) playgrounds. This will over cater for the 901 children predicted by 2036 but will provide the appropriate distribution. There will be 180 children under 14 per playground. Currently the Brunslea Park developers are reviewing the masterplan with Council for the area west of Forest Hill with the intention provide sufficient usable land to develop a new playground to the south west of the new development.

Lloyd will require five (5) new playgrounds giving it a total of six (6) playgrounds. This will cater for the 1,799 children predicted by 2036. There will be 300 children under 14 per playground. Under the proposed masterplan Lloyd does not have sufficient usable land to develop the playgrounds for three (3) of the six (6) playgrounds. Consultation with stakeholders, particularly developers, will be required to secure appropriate land for these playgrounds.

Page 20

Figure 3.2 Estella Precinct Urban Releases – Gobbagombalin; Boorooma and Estella showing indicative locations of new playgrounds. Existing Playgrounds are labelled.

Figure 3.3 Forest Hill Urban Releases showing indicative locations of new playgrounds within the pink zones. Existing Playgrounds are labelled.

Page 21

Figure 3.4 Lloyd Urban Release showing indicative locations of new playgrounds. Existing Playgrounds are labelled.

3.3

Classification of Playgrounds

By establishing a hierarchy for playgrounds Council will have a framework by which it can deliver a more consistent approach to the management, development and maintenance of play space areas which are similar in scale, scope and function. It will enable Council to plan for a suite of facilities providing diversity for the community, and a distribution throughout the LGA which minimises duplication of like spaces and facilities within neighbourhoods and districts.

The playground hierarchy will determine: • The indicative construction cost • Catchment areas • Level of facilities and amenities provided • Variety of play elements included • Preferred land area By benchmarking the playground hierarchies of other local governments, the following hierarchy was developed to meet the needs of the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area. Table 3.1 below lists the characteristics of each of the four hierarchies for Wagga Wagga – Local Minor, Local Major, Suburban and Regional playgrounds.

Page 22

Table 3.4

Wagga Wagga City Council Playground Hierarchy

Catchments and Length of Stay

Local Minor Playgrounds • • •

Accessibility

•

• Age Ranges

• • •

Suburban (District) Playgrounds

Service local residents 10-15 min walking distance (about 750m) About 30 minute stay

• • • •

•

•

•

• Equipment Design

Service local residents 5-10 min walking distance (about 500m) About 20 minute stay

Local Major Playgrounds

•

•

Kerbside car • parking Walking • (connections with footpaths) and on street parking •

At least one (1) age group Generally seven (7) years and below

•

Basic playground, Up to three (3) small items of equipment Minimum, one (1) set of swings, and one (1) single platform structure When renewing consultation with local residents required Indicative value $40,000

•

•

•

•

•

Kerbside car parking Walking (connections with footpaths) and on street parking Preferred off road cycle network

•

At least two (2) age groups Generally seven (7) years and below

•

Greater than three (3) items of equipment Includes at least one (1) set of swings, and one (1) combination unit When renewing consultation with local residents required Indicative value $60,000

•

•

•

•

• •

Regional Playgrounds

At minimum services the whole suburb Residents will come from other suburbs Most people drive to these.

About 1-2 hour stay

•

Usually off street parking areas Usually a range of pedestrian and cycle way connections

•

Broad range of children and carers Multiple age groups (0-2), (37) and (7-12) years catered for. May cater for older people

•

More advanced equipment than local parks Graded challenges for wide appeal + multiple play experiences, depending on surrounding recreation attractions When renewing consultation with whole suburb Indicative value $100,000

•

•

•

•

• •

• •

Services the Riverina Region Visitors may stay for a number of hours

Major car parking, public transport Range of pedestrian and cycle way connections

All age groups up to 12 years catered for.

Will have activities for teenagers and / or adults within the play space

Major all-age playground, possibly accessfor-all playground system Large number of play activities Equipment caters for wide range of age groups, at minimum 0-12 years When renewing shire wide consultation Indicative value $200,000 plus

Page 23

• •

Supporting Infrastructure

•

At least one (1) setting Natural shade for at least part of the area Often close to another better resourced playground

• • • •

At least two (2) settings Shade for at least part of the area Usually irrigated Landscaping and irrigation optional

• • • • • •

•

Access to public toilets Shade Numerous picnic settings Shelters and BBQ’s Bubbler and Bins Irrigated and landscaped (incorporating imaginative play areas) Fence

•

•

• • • • •

Planned Renewal Cycle

Examples

Approx Land Area

•

•

0.3 to 0.5 hectares of usable land

•

Simmons St Park • (0.2ha) Central and Boorooma Park (0.4ha) Estella

•

Plan to refurbish after 20 years Plan to renew after 30 years

•

•

•

0.5 to 1 hectare of usable land

•

1 to 2 hectares of usable land

Undurra Dr (0.9ha) Glenfield and Menneke Park (1ha) Estella

•

Glenfield Oval (2ha) and Collins Park (2.1ha) Central

Plan to renew after 20 years

•

Plan to renew after 20 years

• •

•

•

BBQ’s, picnic furniture, attractive landscaped areas.

Shade structures where natural shade is not available Public toilet and change facilities Informal play spaces or sports fields Dedicated car parking Bubbler and bins Disability facilities available Irrigated and landscaped (incorporating imaginative play areas) Fence Greater than two (2) hectares of usable land Adventure Playground at Botanical Gardens (2.5ha) and Apex Park (4ha) Lake Albert Plan to renew after 20 years

Page 24

Examples of category types

Photos

Top Left – Local Minor Playground at Tamar Drive Tatton Top Right - Local Major Playground Undurra Drive Glenfield Bottom Left – Suburban Playground at South City Shops Bottom Right - Regional Playground at Botanic Gardens Adventure Playground

3.4

Park Land Selection Principles

The following principles are used to guide the selection of land for playgrounds:

• • • •

•

Park land should be reasonably flat with a slope of not more than 1 in 10.

It is preferred the land be unencumbered and free of obstructions such as utility easements. If these are required they should not dominate the space and not be obvious so the park can still a positive visually amenity.

Playgrounds should not be constructed in drainage basins or in natural water courses.

The suitable area of park land ranges from 0.3 hectares for local playgrounds to in excess of two (2) hectares for regional playgrounds. This allows enough room for informal play such as ball games, running around and family picnics along with playground activities. The hierarchy also recommends maximum areas as excessive land areas become a burden for perpetual maintenance, particularly mowing.

The park and playground layout should provide for good supervision (clear lines of sight) to allow for passive surveillance as a deterrent for inappropriate behaviour.

Page 25

Photo: Bourkelands Estate playground on the corner of Bourke St and Red Hill Rd. This is a poor location because of its location in a drainage basin and faces the back of houses. Passive surveillance from the road is almost zero.

3.5

Play Equipment Selection Principles

The following principles are used to guide the selection of playground equipment (Adapted from Ryan, K. (2006). Play to live, live to play: Playground development, from design to construction and beyond): a. The playground hierarchy is to be used as a guide during the concept design phase, b. Based on previously identified best practice design, the selection of equipment needs to provide maximum play value. Equipment should be varied, and involve activities that are of interest to children of a range of ages and developmental stages. Individual pieces cannot cater for all age groups and abilities, and as such, several pieces of varied equipment are recommended for local playgrounds. Suburban and Regional parks must have varied equipment. c.

Equipment for cognitive (imaginative) play – involves thinking and reasoning, observation and exploration. Examples may include sandpits, water play, funnels and building blocks. These must be provided at Suburban and Regional playgrounds.

d. Equipment for creative /explorative play – can be provided for with interactive elements, creative landscape design and plant selection. Examples may include interactive artworks, mazes, and areas of sound, sand and water. The key here is to provide quiet, solitary spaces where children can play imaginary games and interact with the environment. e. Equipment for social/dramatic play – provide opportunities for acting out and role playing.

Examples include shop fronts, steering wheels, trains and train tracks, cubby houses and forts f.

Equipment for physical/active play – include equipment and open space facilities for crawling, running, jumping, swinging, spinning, climbing, balancing, ball games and bike/skate tracks. It is important not to be repetitive in the selection of play features, cater for both upper and lower body activities.

Page 26

g. Equipment provision must provide for graduated levels of challenge. Older children enjoy using physical apparatus, but they should be more challenging than that provided for lower age groups. h. Single themed approaches (such as rocket themed playgrounds) have initial attraction, but kids do tend to tire of these quickly. Non thematic or abstract equipment is more adaptable.

Use thematic design discreetly for better effect. Heavily themed designs should be reserved for larger playgrounds. For example the boat playground at Wagga Beach.

Further to point (h) above, an example where themes would be appropriate in new subdivisions.

Suggested themes could be: Forest Hill – Air force; Lloyd – Army given its proximity to Kapooka and the numerous Defence Houses being built in Lloyd, and Boorooma – sport given the street names are after sports people. This could also compliment Council’s Road and Suburbs Naming Policy.

3.6

Support Infrastructure Selection Principles

Support infrastructure such as seating; BBQs; shelters; toilets; bubblers; garbage bins; bicycle facilities and signage shall be installed as per the hierarchy. A risk assessment shall be carried out when designing the play space. This will consider, but not be limited to, the following areas of risks: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

BBQ use Food preparation areas Site distances Child friendly toilets Distance of toilets from play area Passive surveillance Likelihood of vandalism Suitability of equipment to withstand vandalism Design and location of infrastructure complies with relevant standards Access to potable water Adequate garbage bins Safe access particularly in regards to conflict with traffic Need for fencing Need for signage Tree species – falling limbs Distance from water such as open storm water drains and catchments

When designing playgrounds it is important for the designer to consider play space, not just the play equipment. The design when finalised should provide a layout for play equipment, softfall, edging, guarded trees, seating, and if required shade sails, fences and bins after considering the following items: •

Initial consideration is given to the slope or topography of the specific playground site. This has important implications to the location of the playground equipment and associated features for provision of inclusive access, playground safety and any potential drainage issues.

•

The design will provide suitable entries, exits and access to the play space and the ease of movement through the playground by both children and caregivers must be considered. It is important to identify important relationships between both play facilities and support amenities. For example the positioning of toddler play areas close to support amenities such as toilets with a baby change room.

•

The design will consider the conflict of activities. Moving equipment such as swings and flying foxes should not be located near static structures or traffic flow lines. Other examples include avoiding positioning exit points of slides onto creative sand play areas. Play areas for differing age groups will be separated appropriately.

Page 27

3.7

Risk Management and Safety Standards

As a requirement of statutory and common law, local government authorities have legal obligations (duty of care) to the public. This duty of care requires Councils’ to take reasonable care to avoid foreseeable risks to visitors using areas under their management. The question of what is “foreseeable” and “reasonable” is complex. To ensure Council is meeting its duty of care obligations the following Australian Standards are used to guide the design, maintenance and management of playgrounds: •

Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4486.1: Playgrounds and playground equipment Part 1: Development, installation, inspection, maintenance and operation.

•

Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4422: Playground surfacing - Specifications, requirements and test methods

•

Australian Standard AS 1428: Design for access and mobility

•

Australian Standard AS 4685:2014 Parts 1-6: Playground equipment Part 1 – General safety requirements & test methods Part 2 – Particular safety requirements & test methods for swings Part 3 - Particular safety requirements & test methods for slides Part 4 - Particular safety requirements & test methods for runways Part 5 - Particular safety requirements & test methods for carousels Part 6 - Particular safety requirements & test methods for rocking equipment Part 11 - Particular safety requirements & test methods for spatial networks

•

Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS ISO 31000: Risk management - Principles and guidelines;

Council has adopted these standards as the minimum benchmark required for playground equipment, design, compliance, installation, maintenance and inspection. Although these standards are not mandatory through legislation, in a litigation case they will be referenced as the minimum necessary requirements. This approach is consistent with the requirements of Statewide Mutual’s Best Practice Manual for Playgrounds (2010).

Council should also ensure the provision of comfortable areas for caregivers to encourage them to stay and supervise the play activities. Previous evidence has linked effective supervision to a reduction of injuries and crime. Designers should also consider the location of playgrounds to take advantage of passive surveillance from adjacent houses and streets and; have clear lines of site to enable public supervision from users within the park.

Mature trees are often the primary source of shade for playgrounds. During routine safety inspection of playgrounds a visual inspection of the adjacent trees is undertaken to ensure stability.

New play spaces are designed in accordance with the ‘Safer By Design’ principles. These principles were developed in co-operation between NSW Police, Local Councils, Government Departments and private sector organisations. These principles ensure that development proposals are routinely assessed for crime risk and preventable risk is reduced before the development is constructed. The ‘Safer By Design website can be viewed at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/community_issues/crime_prevention/safer_by_design.

3.8

Access and Equity Issues

Where possible as part of the playground renewal process there will be an ongoing commitment by Council to consider accessibility in existing play spaces throughout the LGA. All new playgrounds will be developed incorporating universal design principles which ensures play opportunities for people of all abilities.

Page 28

The NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014 has two (2) key aims. One (1) of them is that NSW continues to be a place where people with a disability have access to mainstream services and are part of our community. Under this Act Local Government is required to have disability actions plans and by 2017 be implementing improvements to remove barriers to equitable access to services such as playgrounds.

Specifically, provision of universal access requires the following items to be considered from Australian Standard AS1428-2009 Design for Access and Mobility): •

Physical Access: Vehicle access and drop off points should be provided with ramps; gates should have an opening width of at least 900mm and there should be sufficient space around the gate to manoeuvre a wheelchair or walking aid; there should be access for people with mobility difficulties around the area and between equipment, and the surfaces should be nonslip, firm and stable.

•

Supporting Amenities: Toilets should be accessible for children and adults with mobility difficulties and should allow enough circulation space for the wheelchair/mobility aid and a carer. Consideration should be given for the provision of a larger change table and the installation of a ceiling hoist for transfer; tables provided should be able to be accessed by people in wheelchairs; seating provided should include high backs and arm rests.

•

Accessible Equipment and Activities: Equipment and activity selection must take into account children with specific disabilities. The equipment will encourage movement, creative and sensory play. Differing degrees of challenge and scale is vital, as is including artistic and natural play elements and opportunities to manipulate the environment. Items such as steering wheels, knobs to pull or handles to twist must be at ground level, and arranged in a way that a child using a mobility device can get into position to use them. Climbing structures that are accessible from ground level ensure a child in a wheelchair can get involved by holding on or pulling themselves up out of the chair. A raised sandpit is another example of an item with universal access.

•

Care should also be taken not to socially isolate children with disabilities from their nondisabled peers. They should have opportunities to join in with all people.

•

Consultation with community members and Council Officers with experience in accessibility planning to advise on concept and detailed playground designs.

3.9

Community Consultation for New Playgrounds

Consultation is a vital component in the development of playgrounds for public use, and can assist in a number of areas including: • • • • •

Determining community aspirations and expectations Keeping the community informed by providing information on proposed or desirable developments Expanding perceptions of what is possible Generating support for proposed developments of new playgrounds and for playground upgrades Encouraging community discussions and debate

The extent of community consultation required on any given project will vary depending upon several factors including: • • • • •

The playground hierarchy The location of the development The budget Potential cultural implications Potential environmental implications

Page 29

Council uses the funbobulator on its website as part of its engagement strategy. The funbobulator is a fun way for children (and parents) on their home computers to select equipment for a new playground. They are given a budget which they have to work within to determine the key features of the playground.

Community consultation is conducted by Council when a new playground is being installed or an existing one is being renewed. The consultation procedure for the renewal of a playground includes: • • • • • 3.10

Letter box drop to local community advising them of playground works Sign at playground Electronic or paper option for residents to provide comment and preferences on design Visit nearby schools for suburban playground works Advertise in Council News Natural Play spaces

The importance of variety and diversity in playground settings was highlighted by Sport and Recreation Victoria in their Good Play Space Guide: I can play too (2007). Much of this theory indicated that children find much of the playground equipment available today challenging for only short periods of time. The imaginative side of children’s play therefore takes place with elements other than equipment. Other elements are required to provide for our children’s total play experience. Such elements that Council seeks to include in play space designs include rocks, large logs, vegetation and safe water features.

Planting a variety of trees, shrubs and ground cover are essential when planning for play.

Appropriately and imaginatively placed dense foliage creates imaginative and creative play environments. Subject to passive surveillance, it is virtually impossible to over-plant a child’s play environment.

Increasing the variety of textures and elements present in playgrounds increases the interest for children dramatically. Sensibly arranged rocks of and tree logs (large, fixed against movement) are excellent ways of including abstract items that can be used for a wide range of activities.

Page 30

Photo: Playground in central Paramatta where the slopes of the river bank have been cleverly used to provide a mix of structured and natural play for children.

3.11

Softfall

Council uses the Australian standard AS/NZS 4422 Playground surfacing – Specifications, requirements and test method to guide the management of softfall. The purpose of this standard is to reduce injuries by defining the type and depth of surfacing required to achieve the necessary energy attenuation (impact absorption).

Certified softfall surfaces come in a range of natural surfaces including varying grades of wood chips and artificial surfaces such as rubber. The installer shall use the most appropriate type of undersurfacing for the playground site, taking into account the topography, potential for drainage issues, needs for inclusive access, level and frequency of use and the prescribed maintenance period and available budget.

Hard surfaces should only be used for the provision of access, e.g. pathways, areas for ballgames, for wheeled toy areas (cycle ways) and decorative purposes. Despite the benefits of synthetic rubber softfall it should only be considered for inclusion at Regional Playgrounds as it is expensive to install and has a useful life of only 10 years in high wear areas.

3.12

Shade and Sun Protection

Greater Southern Area Health Service state that “the melanoma age-specific incidence rate in Australia are the highest in the world which is largely attributed to elevated levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation combined with a high proportion of the nation having sensitive skin”.

It is recognised that “Local Government should ensure that the issue of playground shade is comprehensively addressed in all relevant planning and policy documents so that it becomes an increased priority when developing and upgrading parks and playgrounds” (Anderson, 2014).

Page 31

Provision should be made in all playgrounds for at least partial sun protection for both users of the play equipment and caregivers. This may be achieved in a number of ways, as listed below. It is not considered appropriate to shade entire areas as the users will require sunlight in the cooler months.

Council will use trees as a primary shade option. The following shall be considered when using trees for shade in a play space: • • • •

• • •

Where appropriate, locate new playgrounds to the east side of existing, mature shade trees.

Using advanced trees for those existing playgrounds that lack appropriate shade Tree planting in play spaces are to be treated with priority Tree species selected should be appropriate for the location, have suitable form (i.e. canopy), not be prone to branch drop and provide maximum shade in the middle of the day (See chapter 6 of Wagga Council’s Street Tree Strategy and Masterplan for a list of suitable tree species based on environmental precincts around the LGA) Select trees that also provide other environmental benefits including wind protection, habitat for local fauna and improvement to the visual amenity of the area Use tree species that will be a minimal hindrance to passive surveillance Trees must be guarded to increase their protection against vandalism

Constructing purpose built shade structures over the equipment or erecting shelters adjacent to equipment is the secondary provision of shade. The provision of artificial shade should only be considered in areas where the planting of mature trees is not possible and where there is good passive surveillance and/or adequate supervision as they are prone to misuse and vandalism.

3.13

Fencing

Wagga Wagga LGA currently has four (4) fully fenced playgrounds. These include: the Uranquinty Neighbourhood Centre Playground; the Kidsville and Family Day Care playgrounds at the Botanic Gardens and the Apex Park playground.

While fencing does provide a degree of safety and amenity, consideration needs to be given before installing fencing as to the location of the playground. This will include a risk assessment of the site and proposed play space design. Generally fencing will not be installed at a local playground because of the lower use and usually located in quiet residential areas and have smaller budgets which do not make it possible to install fencing.

Pending a risk assessment (see sections 3.4 and 3.6), fencing may be necessary in areas where there is a potential conflict between children using the playground and other activities associated with the playground. Examples are: the playground is located close to a busy road; is near a body of water; near other activities (sporting field); there is a demand for a dedicated enclosure for children or families (play area for toddlers).

If providing fencing, it is important to ensure that the type of fence is both attractive and suitable for the specific play space. Its design should allow for passive surveillance by neighbours and others.

Careful landscaping through the use of natural features such as mounds, rocks and plantings can be used as an alternative to manufactured fencing. If this is to be constructed consideration must be given to ensure the line of sight for supervision purposes is not obstructed.

3.14

Minimising Maintenance by Design

In order to minimise the impact of ongoing maintenance, Council will ensure sound design principles are implemented when new playgrounds and play spaces are constructed. An example is constructing softfall at ground level with subsurface drainage. This reduces the amount of maintenance required to keep the softfall at the correct level compared to above ground softfall.

Regular maintenance of loose softfall, including raking and maintenance of required depths is an important however time consuming task. The impact of this issue can be minimised through the well planned use of rubber softfall material pads. High usage areas including under swings, spinning elements and high traffic areas are considered appropriate locations for this treatment.

Page 32

Shade sails are an expensive item to maintain as they are a common target for vandalism. It is common for holes to occur in shade sails from slashing or burning. Shade sails are also a high wear item because of deterioration due to wind and ultra violet. For this reason trees are recommended as the shade solution over shade sails where possible.

Selection of material types for playground equipment is important for managing graffiti. Materials with a rough surface such as some recycled plastics can be very difficult to clean as the graffiti paint is near impossible to remove. Other common vandalism types in some suburbs of Wagga Wagga is burning of equipment and breaking smaller components. When developing playgrounds in suburbs where vandalism readily occurs, robust equipment needs to be selected.

Page 33

Section 4 – Playground Asset Management 4.1

Asset Management

On a bi-annual basis Council assesses the condition of its playground network. There are five (5) condition factors that combine to produce the overall playground condition. These factors are: Functionality – Does the playground fulfil the level of service desired by the users?

Aesthetics – How does the playground look?

Obsolescence – Is the playground dated?

Utilisation – How many visits does the playground get?

Softfall – What condition is the under surface soft fall in?

Results from the last condition audit done November 2013 are presented in figure Section 2.1 and Appendix 5. All measures are determined anecdotally by Council staff. This condition data, along with playground age, is used to produce priorities for renewal programs. Renewal programs include upgrade, refurbish or remove the playground. The proposed renewal plan is presented in Appendix 2.

The underlying principle in Asset Management is Life Cycle Cost Analysis. It is important when assessing sustainability because this analysis includes both the capital expenses considered for a new asset, and the perpetual maintenance costs to keep the asset in usable condition.

Table 4.1 - Playground Useful Lives and Unit Rates used for Asset Management Playgrounds Description

Life (Years)

Unit

Local Minor Renewal

20

Each

Refurbishment

10

Local Major Renewal

20

Each

$60,000

20

Each

$100,000

20

Each

$200,000

Apex Park is $200k; Botanic Adventure $350k including 80k for rubber softfall.

Life 10 Years

Unit Per/M

Cost/Unit $55.00

Comment

10 Years

Per/M

$50.00

20-30

Linear meter

$100.00

15-20 Years

Per/M

$45.00

Suburban Playground Renewal Regional Playground Renewal

Av. Cost/Unit $40,000

$20,000

Comment When possible, it is planned that local minor playgrounds be refurbished and then 10 years later renewed Local majors are not refurbished Examples are Glenfield Oval (South City Shops) and Henwood Park Kooringal

Playground edging options Description Red Gum Sleeper (75mm) Red Gum Sleeper (50mm) Concrete blocks; Bricks Treated pine

Page 34

Softfall Materials Description Wood/bark chip mulch Rubber Softfall

Life 5-10 Years

Unit M3

Cost/Unit $45

Comment Delivered to stockpile

10 Years

M2

$100 - $140

Dependent on size of job

Renewing playgrounds based on their asset condition results in different amounts of funding being required to be spent each year. For example when a regional playground such as the Adventure playground at Botanic Gardens is due for renewal a larger budget will be needed. One option to allow for this variation is to develop a reserve so unspent monies in years with smaller programs can be saved for when larger budgets are required.

2

2

The rubber softfall at the Adventure Playground is 700m and would cost approximately $120 per m to replace, at a total cost $84,000. Council’s long term financial plan has $84,840 budgeted in 2017/2018 for this replacement.

Photo of Rubber Softfall at Adventure Playground Botanic Gardens. Useful life of softfall is about 10 years, while the playground is 20 years.

4.2

Partnership Opportunities

In order to maximise the community benefit from the playground network the option of partnerships opportunities will be explored by Council staff. These partnerships could be either works in-kind with a local community organisation or a financial contribution.

Page 35

The types of in-kind works that could be completed are:

a) b) c) d) e)

Assist Council’s certified playground officer with renewal works Install minor infrastructure such as seating Tree planting Routine raking and topping up of softfall Rubbish removal,

Ongoing financial contributions will be explored via the selling of advertising or sponsorship. An example of this could be a business paying for advanced trees to shade a playground in return for them having a plaque on the tree guard.

Any advertising signs and plaques would need to be carefully considered so as to have minimal impact on the amenity of the park and comply with relevant legislation.

Council staff will also continue to apply for grants for playground renewal works when grant funding programs are available.

Page 36

Section 5 窶的ssues and Recommended Action Plan 5.1

Public Consultation Results

Section 1.5 of this strategy outlined the public consultation process. Users or neighbours were asked to estimate the number of visits the playground gets per week. Following are the results from the interviews.

Figure 5.1 Annual Average Weekly Estimated visits to Playgrounds in the Wagga Wagga Shire by Site - Top 30 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

As outlined in Figure 5.1 the Adventure Playground at Botanic gardens has the highest number of users. Apex Park follows closely behind. Wagga Council playgrounds have an estimated visitation of 9,600 visits per week.

The iphone app data results supports the above count estimates as per shown below.

Page 37

Botanic Adventure Botanic Kidsville Apex Collins Webb Apex Junior VMG Henwood Botanic Family Paddy Osborne Albert Burgman Ray Beddoe Crisp Glenfield Oval Wagga Beach Kessler Lake Village Ashmont Oval Kaloona Ken Schultz Vestey Tennyson Cox Kildare Mima Simmons Fife Bosley Hardy Hopwood Jack Ave Lonergan

Figure 5.2 Average Number of Users for iPhone Spot Counts at Playgrounds During Hours of Attractive Play Conditions (Sites with more than 0 users)

25

20

15

10

5

0

Page 38

Figure 5.3Average Weekly Estimated visits to Playgrounds within each Suburb 350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Figure 5.3 above shows Lake Albert and Turvey park playground visit averages are higher because of Apex Park and Botanic Gardens playgrounds respectively. The Wagga Wagga (Central or CBD) is next highest as parks like Collins Park, the Victory Memorial gardens and the Wagga beach have excellent support infrastructure and natural attractions to bring a consistent flow of users. The village playgrounds have a relative low use; however these areas are highly valued and are viewed as a focal point for village community gatherings such as Christmas parties and volunteer organisation meetings.

During the interviews people were invited to suggest improvements required for the playground. 234 requests were received. These were collated into the 14 following themes: • • • • • • • • • • •

Capacity - Play area too small for number of people Disabled Access - Both into play space and equipment area Fence - Around playground Irrigation - Green the area up Lighting - Improve surveillance Limbs - Perceived dangerous trees Maintenance - Playground Mowing - Grass gets too long Weeds - Prickles Renew - Equipment is too old Softfall - Replace bark with synthetic

Page 39

• •

Shade Over equipment and/or seats Support Infrastructure such as toilets; seats; BBQs; Irrigation • Variety - Larger range of play equipment Results from these requests are presented in the figure below.

Figure 5.4 Number of Requests for each Playground Improvement Theme

45 21.7% 40 35

18.0%

30 12.7% 25 11.1% 20

8.5% 7.4%

15 10

6.3% 4.8% 2.6%

5

2.1% 2.1% 1.1%

0.5%

0.5% 0.5%

0

The top three (3) themes make up over 50% of the improvement requests. These were: 1. More variety in the equipment: the limited play experience of local parks is not meeting the expectations for the localised communities. It is common for families to walk or drive past a local playground to get to a better equipped bigger playground.

2. Additional shade: the type of shade requested was not necessarily required to shade the entire play space as some sunlight was considered beneficial in winter; however shaded areas to escape to in the hotter months, particularly for carers who are sitting still.

3. More support infrastructure such as toilets, BBQs, picnic settings and bins.

The larger regional or suburban playgrounds provide what people are requesting for local playgrounds. Figure 5.5 below suggests that users are attracted to the better equipped larger playgrounds with the regional playground average visit being 10 times more than the local average.

Page 40

900

Figure 5.5 Average Estimated number of weekly visits to Regional, District (Suburban) and Local Playgrounds in Wagga Wagga Shire

800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Regional

District

Local

As the community consultation indicates that in principle that access to quality play is more important than the number of playgrounds. In the people’s panel consultation 52% of respondents said playground quality is more important than quantity. Therefore the following is recommended: Recommendation 1: Increase the number of regional playgrounds from two (2) (Apex Park and Botanics) to four (4) inclusive of a new Wagga Beach playground and the replacement Bolton Park playground which will be relocated adjacent to the skate park.

The Bolton Park playground will be an inclusive playground for people of all abilities. It will be a three staged project starting in 2015/2016.

Recommendation 2: Provide a Suburban Playground in most large residential suburbs that are not near a Regional Playground. These suburbs are Ashmont (Webb Park), Forest Hill (Oval), Glenfield (South City Shopping centre), Kooringal (Henwood Park), Tolland (Chambers Park) and Turvey Park (Kidsville Botanics) Recommendation 3: Categorise local playgrounds in Local Major and Local Minor. Where appropriate plan for local minors to be refurbished after 20 years and then renewed after a further 10 years; plan for all the other playgrounds to be renewed after 20 years. Final determination on the timing of playground renewals will be based on the asset condition ratings.

Page 41

The below table identifies the capital renewal costs of implementing the above recommendations.

Playground Capital Renewal Costs Unit Rate Costs (Incl equipment Playground Type Local Minor Refurbish Local Minor Renewal Local Major Renewal District (Suburban) Renewal

Regional Renewal

Results Total Renewal Costs over the life of the plan Useful Life Average CAPEX per year Existing Budget Difference

plus supporting infrastructure)

$20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $100,000 Range $200 to $350K - see individual PGs 1. Current Regime (No refurbishments)

2. Proposed Renewal Program - All PG

$4,596,000 20

$4,582,000 20

$229,800 $168,826 $60,974

$229,100 $168,826 $60,274

Recommendation 4: That Council consider increasing the existing playground capital renewal budget from $168,826 (2015/2016) to $229,100, an increase of $60,274. These funds are to be placed in a playground reserve to allow appropriate budgets for playground renewals as required by asset condition and age.

A full renewal plan can be viewed in Appendix 2. Each individual playground is listed with its location, age, estimated renewal year and renewal cost. It is important to note that while on average playgrounds last for 20 years, playground will not be automatically renewed. Renewals will only occur where the asset condition warrants the renewal.

With the recommendations implemented, the new distribution of playgrounds in the urban area including Forest Hill and Uranquinty is presented below in Figures 5.6 to 5.10. These maps include proposed playgrounds for future land releases which are in the pink areas. The pink areas at Springvale and West of Forest Hill that do not have playgrounds identified are rural / residential areas.

The figures also show the current and future playgrounds with a 500m catchment zone around each site. These maps demonstrate that most residents in the current and future urban areas are covered by these zones and that most families within the Wagga Wagga urban area will have a playground within 500m of their home. In some circumstances there is no suitable land to supply a playground within the 500m zone. For example Wilks Avenue Park in Kooringal has a slope of 1 in 7 which is considered too steep to construct a playground.

Page 42

Figure 5.6 Proposed Playground Distribution including 500m buffer and the 10 future playgrounds in land releases (pink areas).

Figure 5.7 Proposed Playground Distribution including 500m buffer in Urban Area North.

Playgrounds with labels are existing. Those without labels are proposed for the future

Page 43

Page 44

Figure 5.8 Proposed Playground Distribution including 500m buffer in Urban Area South.

Playgrounds with labels are existing. Those without labels are proposed for the future

Figure 5.9 Proposed Playground Distribution including 500m buffer in Forest Hill. Playgrounds with labels are existing. Those without labels are proposed for the future

Page 45

Figure 5.10 Playground Distribution including 500m buffer in Uranquinty.

Section 3.2 of this strategy presented demographic data. Using this data an analysis was carried out on the effect of phasing out four (4) playgrounds on number of children under 14 per playground in each suburb. Figure 5.7 displays the results.

Page 46

Figure 5.7 Number of Children under 14 per Playground in each Suburbs. This analysis does not include future land release areas.

Number of Children Under 14 per Playground in each Suburb 300

250

200

150

100

50

0

As show in figure 5.7 above, all suburbs have 250 or less children per playground. This is considered acceptable given it is well below the 300 maximum children per playground threshold (see section 3.2).

Kooringal, Estella, Tatton and Tolland have a similar count with around 200 children per playground.

This is considered a reasonable number.

Bourkelands, Lake Albert, and North Wagga, Lloyd, Turvey Park, Forest Hill and Wagga Central have around 150 or less children per playground. It could be argued these are slightly over supplied with playgrounds compared to the higher suburbs. However Estella, Bourkelands, Lloyd and Forest Hill will have increasing children numbers per playground as new subdivisions are released. Lake Albert figures are skewed high because of Apex Park which is a regional park that services people outside the suburb. The same can be said for Turvey Park and Wagga Central which also have playgrounds that service users outside the suburb.

A benchmarking exercise was carried out with 11 other Council’s comparing: a) Total Shire Population b) Number of playgrounds c) Average people per playground d) Average number of children under14 per playground e) Capital Renewal $ spent per year f) Estimated maintenance $ spend per year g) Whether the Council has signs at playgrounds h) Does the Council have a playground strategy? i) What renewal plan cycle is used eg 20 years for Wagga j) Do they have a water playground

Page 47

k) What playground distribution buffer (radius) is used l) Standard hierarchy m) Any innovative ideas The full results from the benchmarking are in Appendix 3. The below figure 5.8 shows the average number of children under 14 per playground by town. Wagga Wagga is towards the lower end of scores with an average of 138 children per playground. This is considered acceptable for a rural area.

During the benchmark process it was identified that Auburn and Casey planning on reducing the number of smaller playgrounds to increase the number of large playgrounds that are more diverse, have natural play and are inclusive of those with disabilities.

Figure 5.8 Benchmarking with 11 other Councils Average Number of Children Under 14 Per Playground 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

5.2

Maintenance Budget

Softfall maintenance is the single biggest expense in the maintenance of playgrounds. It is a challenging exercise to keep softfall to the standard depth of 300mm across the whole playground area. Based on the surface area of Wagga’s playgrounds the expense is as follows: Softfall Items Surface Area of Softfall Average depth Total quantity of softfall required Percentage of bark replaced each year Amount of bark needed Cost of bark delivered to stockpile in Wagga Total value of bark stockpiled in Wagga Bobcat and truck to get bark from stockpile to playgrounds Bobcat and truck cost per day Total cost for bobcat and truck Maintenance of rubber softfall TOTAL COST FOR LABOUR, MACHINE AND BARK

Unit m2 mm m3 % m3 $ $ days $ $ $ $

Value 20,219 300 6,066 20% 1,213 45 54,585 20 800 16,000 5,000

75,585

Page 48

Council currently has a maintenance budget of $50,750. Using the above softfall figures combined with all other maintenance activities, the current expenditure (budget) and recommended budget are:

Playground Maintenance Task Softfall Maintenance materials and labour Replace Wearing Parts like swing bolts etc - Materials only Materials for vandalism such as sail shade punctures; graffiti TOTAL

Current Budget $35,000 $8,250

Recommended Budget $75,585 $8,250

$7,500 $50,750

$7,500 $91,335

Recommendation 5: That Council consider increasing the annual playground maintenance budget from $50,750 to $91,335, an increase of$40,585. This will ensure compliance with the current Australian maintenance standards. This budget should continue to be increased annually in line with CPI. Recommendation 6: That Council continue to explore partnership opportunities in order to maximise the community benefits of the playground network.

Recommendation 7: That Council increase the annual playground maintenance budget by $800 (Local Minor or Major); $2,500 (Suburban); or $5,000 (Regional) each time a new playground is added to the network Recommendation 8: That when a new playground is built, Council increase the playground annual capital reserve to cover the cost of the future renewal. The annual increase shall be calculated based on the Capital cost of the new playground divided by 20 years (average useful life).

5.3

Playground Development Requirements

Section 3 Design and Provision provides guidelines for creating great play spaces in the future for new subdivisions in Wagga. To ensure these playground design and provision principles are incorporated into new developments this strategy should be used as the base document to guide all future playground developments. This includes Masterplans and DCP assembly. It is important to note that universal design principles are required to be applied to new playground developments in all playspaces.

Further it is desirable to have parks and playgrounds installed at an early stage of the residential development. An attractive park with landscaping and a playground, located in an obvious spot should attract more purchasers and make land lots more saleable. It also avoids parks development becoming a “nuisance after thought� when the residential development is nearing completion.

Recommendation 9: That Council when preparing, assessing or amending Development Control Plans (DCPs) or residential master plans require the developer to provide a Parks and Open Space Strategy for the development. This will demonstrate the application of the principles and guidelines identified in: a) Section 3 of this Playground Strategy and, b) NSW Government Premier’s Council for Active Living NSW Guideline - Development & Active Living: Designing projects for active living (2010).

Recommendation 10: That universal design principles be considered for all new playground developments.

Recommendation 11: That Council require the installation of parks and playgrounds at an early stage of all residential developments.

Page 49

References 1. Anderson, C (2014). Shade in urban playgrounds in Sydney and inequalities in availability for those living in lower socioeconomic areas. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 2014 Vol. 38 No.1 pp49-53. This article was given to Council staff by Natalie McDermott from Great Southern Area Health Service.

2. Community Social Plan (2009-2013). Wagga Wagga City Council 2009.

3. Development & Active Living: Designing projects for active living (2010). NSW Government Premier’s Council for Active Living NSW. 4. Forecast ID Population website. http://forecast.id.com.au/wagga-wagga/about-forecast-areas.

5. Playground Manual. (2007). Office for Recreation and Sport, South Australia, October 2007.

6. Recreational and Opens Space Strategy (2005-2015). Wagga Wagga City Council March 2005.

7. Riverside Wagga Wagga Strategic Master Plan (2010). Wagga Wagga City Council May 2010.

8. Ryan, K. (2006). Play to live, live to play: Playground development, from design to construction and beyond. Recreation Management, 2006.

9. Statewide Mutual Best Practise Manual – Playgrounds Version 2 (2010). Statewide Mutual Insurance Group September 2010.

10. Suncorp Bank’s Familiy Friend City Report (2014). Suncorp Bank http://www.suncorpbank.com.au/sites/default/files/fm/news_and_media/2014/Suncorp%20Ba nk%20Report_Family%20Friendly%20City_FINAL.pdf 11. The Good Play Space Guide: “I can play too”. (2007). Sport and Recreation Victoria March 2007.

12. Wagga Wagga City Council Asset Management Plan for Recreational Assets. (2012). Wagga Wagga City Council March 2012.

13. Wagga Wagga City Council Community Strategic Plan – Ruby and Oliver. (2014). Wagga Wagga City Council March 2014 14. Wagga Wagga Spatial Plan (2013). Wagga Wagga City Council 2013.

15. Wagga Wagga Street Tree Strategy and Masterplan (2011). Wagga Wagga City Council and Spackman Mossop Michaels August 2011.

Page 50

Appendix 1: 2014 User / Neighbour Interview Questions Playground Usage Questions (To be used mainly for residents who live adjacent to a playground)

Playground: ____________________________ Date: __________________

Resident Contacts (Optional) Name: _______________________________ Phone: ______________________ Email: _____________________________________________________________ Location in reference to PG: ____________________________________________ (Do you want to be notified when the Playground Strategy is ready for review? Yes

No)

Approximately how many people would visit this playground per week? __________ What is the most common visit time: Hour of day:

am pm Even spread

Day of week: Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun Weekend Even spread Season of year: Summer Autumn Winter Spring Even Spread

How long do people stay (Hours)? _______________________________________ What is the percentage (%) of people who are: Primary ____ vs High School ____

Local ____ vs Travelers ____

Are there any organized groups that use the PG? ___________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Do you have any suggestions how we could attract more users? ________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

Other comments about the Playground ____________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

Page 51

Appendix 2 Playground Renewal Plan sorted by Suburb then Asset Name - alphabetical order Asset ID

Asset Name

Location

Suburb

PG-6

ASHMONT OVAL

Lae Ave

ASHMONT

PG-6

ASHMONT OVAL

Lae Ave

ASHMONT

PG-10

BEST FAMILY GRAVES PARK

Truscott Dr

ASHMONT

PG-26

CRISP DRIVE PARK

Crisp Dr

ASHMONT

PG-38

GRAHAM PARK

Montgomery St

ASHMONT

PG-425

NATHAN PARK

Connorton St

ASHMONT

PG-449

WEBB PARK

Blakemore St

ASHMONT

PG-454

BOOROOMA PARK

Messenger Ave

BOOROOMA

PG-8

BEDEVALE ST PARK

Bedevale St

BOURKELANDS

PG-17

BOURKELANDS ESTATE PARK

Overdale Dr

BOURKELANDS

PG-49

JUBILEE PARK - PLAYGROUND

Bourke St

BOURKELANDS

PG-403

KALOONA DR PARK

Kaloona Dr

BOURKELANDS

Marylands Way

BOURKELANDS

McDonnell St

COLLINGULLIE

PG-421 PG-22

MARYLANDS WAY PLAYGROUND COLLINGULLIE OVAL PLAYGROUND

PG-23

COLLINGULLIE PARK

McDonnell St

COLLINGULLIE

PG-28

CURRAWARNA RECREATION

Old Narandera Rd

CURRAWARNA

PG-417

LONERGAN PL PARK

Lonergan Pl

EAST WAGGA WAGGA

PG-39

GUNN DRIVE PARK

Gunn Dr

ESTELLA

PG-423

MENNEKE PARK

Pugsley Ave

ESTELLA

PG-12

BOREE AVENUE PARK

Boree Ave

FOREST HILL

Hierarchy Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Suburban Local Minor Local Major Local Major Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Major Local Minor

Action Proposed Year

Estimated Cost

Rating Recommended Action

2015/2016

20,000

Refurbish

25

2025/2026

40,000

Renew

25

2021/2022

40,000

Renew

18

2017/2018

40,000

Renew

31

2033/2034

20,000

Refurbish

3

2015/2016

40,000

Renew

24

2034/2035

100,000

Renew

2

2034/2035

20,000

Refurbish

1

2026/2027

60,000

Renew

9

2031/2032

60,000

Renew

5

2033/2034

2,000

Refurbish

3

2030/2031

20,000

Refurbish

5

2032/2033

5,000

Renew

4

2029/2030

20,000

Refurbish

6

2028/2029

20,000

Refurbish

17

2028/2029

20,000

Refurbish

7

2015/2016

40,000

Renew

25

2024/2025

40,000

Renew

18

2028/2029

60,000

Renew

7

2027/2028

40,000

Renew

9

Playground Age

PG-453

CLIVE BRUNSKILL PARK

Mangrove Cres

FOREST HILL

PG-33

FOREST HILL OVAL

Brunskill Ave

FOREST HILL

PG-434

SACKVILLE DRIVE PARK

Sackville Dr

FOREST HILL

PG-34

GALORE RESERVE

Hall Rd

GALORE

PG-7

BALLEROO EASEMENT

Balleroo Dr

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-36

GLENFIELD PARK OVAL

Tanda Pl

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-47

JANNALI PLACE PARK

Jannali Pl

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-407

KALDARI CRES PLAYGROUND

Kaldari Cres

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-407

KALDARI CRES PLAYGROUND

Kaldari Cres

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-431

KAROOM DRIVE

Karoom Dr

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-424

MIMA ST PARK

Mima St

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-452

TONEY PLACE PARK

Toney Pl

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-452

TONEY PLACE PARK

Toney Pl

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-442

UNDURRA DRIVE PARK

Undurra Dr

GLENFIELD PARK

PG-44

HUMULA PARK

Mate St

HUMULA

PG-21

COCHRANE ST PARK

Cochrane St

KOORINGAL

FIFE GARDENS

Boronia St

KOORINGAL

Delvin Pl

KOORINGAL

Delvin Pl

KOORINGAL

Lake Albert Rd

KOORINGAL

PG-31 PG-37 PG-37 PG-41

GRACELANDS RETENTION BASIN GRACELANDS RETENTION BASIN HENWOOD PARK PLAYGROUND

PG-43

HORSLEY ST PARK

Horsley St

KOORINGAL

PG-48

JOHN STREET PARK

John St

KOORINGAL

PG-433

ROTORACT PARK

Kooringal Rd

KOORINGAL

Local Minor

2034/2035

40,000

Renew

1

Suburban

2026/2027

100,000

Renew

9

2034/2035

40,000

Renew

1

2034/2035

20,000

Refurbish

6

2031/2032

20,000

Refurbish

4

2027/2028

100,000

Renew

8

2024/2025

20,000

Refurbish

11

2020/2021

20,000

Refurbish

15

2030/2031

40,000

Renew

15

2031/2032

20,000

Refurbish

5

2030/2031

20,000

Refurbish

5

2016/2017

20,000

Refurbish

23

2026/2027

40,000

Renew

23

2018/2019

60,000

Renew

19

2029/2030

20,000

Refurbish

7

2033/2034

15,000

Refurbish

1

2029/2030

20,000

Refurbish

11

2018/2019

20,000

Refurbish

18

2028/2029

40,000

Renew

18

2020/2021

100,000

Renew

15

2017/2018

60,000

Renew

24

2023/2024

40,000

Renew

5

2025/2026

40,000

Renew

10

Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Suburban Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Major Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Suburban Local Major Local Minor Local

Page 53

Minor PG-435

SHERWOOD AVENUE PARK

Sherwood Ave

KOORINGAL

PG-409

LADYSMITH RESERVE PLAYGROUND

Humula St

LADYSMITH

PG-5

APEX PARK

Eastlakes Dr

LAKE ALBERT

PG-4

APEX PARK - JUNIOR

Eastlakes Dr

LAKE ALBERT

PG-13

BOSLEY MEMORIAL RESERVE

Nelson Dr

LAKE ALBERT

PG-27

CROKER PARK - PLAYGROUND

Jasmin Cres

LAKE ALBERT

PG-27

CROKER PARK - PLAYGROUND

Jasmin Cres

LAKE ALBERT

PG-46

JACK SKEERS PARK

Oleander Cres

LAKE ALBERT

PG-410

LAKE ALBERT FITNESS EQUIPMENT

Eastlakes Dr

LAKE ALBERT

PG-411

LAKE VILLAGE PARK

Ontario Dr

LAKE ALBERT

PG-411

LAKE VILLAGE PARK

Ontario Dr

LAKE ALBERT

PG-428

OHALLORAN PARK

Kooringal Rd

LAKE ALBERT

PG-432

RAY BEDDOE PARK

Lakeside Dr

LAKE ALBERT

PG-416

LLOYD OPEN SPACE

Barton Ave

LLOYD

PG-18

BROOKDALE HALL PLAYGROUND

The Rock Narrandera Rd

LOCKHART

PG-419

MANGOPLAH PARK

Kyeamba St

MANGOPLAH

PG-420

MANGOPLAH SPORTS GROUND - PLAYGROUND

Holbrook Rd

MANGOPLAH

PG-45

JACK AVENUE PARK

Jack Ave

MOUNT AUSTIN

PG-404

KEN SCHULTZ PARK

Ceduna St

MOUNT AUSTIN

PG-418

MAHER ST EASEMENT

Maher St

MOUNT AUSTIN

PG-422

ALBERT BURGMAN PARK

William St

NORTH WAGGA WAGGA

Local Minor Local Major Regional Local Major Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Major Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Major

2024/2025

20,000

Refurbish

11

2027/2028

60,000

Renew

8

2031/2032

200,000

Renew

4

2030/2031

60,000

Renew

6

2025/2026

20,000

Refurbish

10

2016/2017

20,000

Refurbish

31

2026/2027

40,000

Renew

31

2034/2035

20,000

Refurbish

1

2029/2030

40,000

Renew

6

2016/2017

20,000

Refurbish

24

2026/2027

40,000

Renew

24

2032/2033

2,000

Refurbish

3

2024/2025

60,000

Renew

11

2024/2025

40,000

Renew

11

2031/2032

20,000

Refurbish

4

2027/2028

20,000

Refurbish

8

2018/2019

25,000

Renew

39

2031/2032

20,000

Refurbish

4

2025/2026

40,000

Renew

10

2032/2033

20,000

Refurbish

3

2032/2033

60,000

Renew

3

Page 54

PG-429 PG-426

OURA RECREATION GROUND PLAYGROUND NORMAN DUCK OVAL PLAYGROUND

Oura Rd

OURA

Benedict Ave

SAN ISIDORE

Local Minor Local Minor Local Major Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Major

2025/2026

20,000

Refurbish

10

2029/2030

20,000

Refurbish

6

2018/2019

60,000

Renew

17

2032/2033

2,000

Refurbish

3

2020/2021

40,000

Renew

15

2022/2023

20,000

Refurbish

13

2032/2033

40,000

Renew

13

2030/2031

60,000

Renew

5

2033/2034

100,000

Renew

1

2015/2016

20,000

Refurbish

27

2025/2026

40,000

Renew

27

2034/2035

60,000

Renew

1

2030/2031

20,000

Refurbish

5

PG-430

PADDY OSBORNE PARK

Sydney St

TARCUTTA

PG-438

TARCUTTA SPORTSGROUND

Hay St

TARCUTTA

PG-408

KIMBERLEY DVE EASEMENT

Kimberley Dr

TATTON

PG-437

TAMAR DVE PARK

Tamar Dr

TATTON

PG-437

TAMAR DVE PARK

Tamar Dr

TATTON

PG-439

TATTON PARK

Stirling Bvlde

TATTON

PG-20

CHAMBERS PARK PLAYGROUND

Bruce St

TOLLAND

PG-30

EMBLEN PARK

Bruce St

TOLLAND

PG-30

EMBLEN PARK

Bruce St

TOLLAND

PG-405

KESSLER PARK

Nordlingen Dr

TOLLAND

Leavenworth Dr

TOLLAND

Macleay St

TURVEY PARK

Regional

2029/2030

350,000

Renew

6

Macleay St

TURVEY PARK

Local Major

2029/2030

60,000

Renew

6

Macleay St

TURVEY PARK

Suburban

2029/2030

100,000

Renew

6

2018/2019

60,000

Renew

32

2023/2024

40,000

Renew

30

2027/2028

20,000

Refurbish

8

2026/2027

1,000

Refurbish

10

2018/2019

60,000

Renew

30

2019/2020

40,000

Renew

7

PG-412 PG-14 PG-15 PG-16

LEAVENWORTH DVE OPEN SPAC BOTANIC GARDENS ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND BOTANIC GARDENS - FAMILY DAY CARE PLAYGROUND BOTANIC GARDENS - KIDSVILLE PLAYGROUND

PG-32

FLINDERS ST PARK

Flinders St

TURVEY PARK

PG-35

GISSING OVAL

Blamey St

TURVEY PARK

PG-42

HOPWOOD PARK

Sunshine Ave

TURVEY PARK

PG-406

KILDARE AVE PARK

Kildare Ave

TURVEY PARK

PG-443

URANQUINTY NEIGHBOURHOOD

Connorton St

URANQUINTY

PG-444

URANQUINTY REST AREA

Olympic Hwy

URANQUINTY

Suburban Local Minor Local Minor Local Major Local Minor

Local Major Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Major Local Minor

Page 55

PG-445

URANQUINTY SPORTSGROUND - PLAYGROUND

King St

URANQUINTY

PG-9

BELLING PARK

Bolton St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-11

BOLTON PARK - PLAYGROUND

Edward St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-24

COLLINS PARK

Fox St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-25

COX PARK

Kincaid St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-40

HARDY AVENUE

Hardy Ave

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-40

HARDY AVENUE

Hardy Ave

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-427

OASIS AQUATIC CENTRE

Morgan St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-436

SIMMONS STREET PARK

Simmons St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-440

TENNYSON PARK PLAYGROUND

Oates Ave

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-446

VESTEY ST PARK

Vestey St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-447

VICTORY MEMORIAL GARDENS

Baylis St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-448

WAGGA BEACH

Johnston St

WAGGA WAGGA

PG-450

WIRADJIRI ESTATE PLAYGROUND

Wiradjiri Cres

WAGGA WAGGA

Local Minor Local Major

2031/2032

20,000

Refurbish

4

2019/2020

60,000

Renew

8

2015/2016

240,000

Renew

22

2028/2029

60,000

Renew

7

2018/2019

40,000

Renew

16

2015/2016

20,000

Refurbish

21

2025/2026

40,000

Renew

21

2025/2026

100,000

Renew

10

2015/2016

40,000

Renew

23

2016/2017

40,000

Renew

25

2017/2018

40,000

Renew

22

2027/2028

60,000

Renew

8

Suburban

2028/2029

100,000

Renew

7

Local Minor

2034/2035

20,000

Refurbish

2

Regional Local Major Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Suburban Local Minor Local Minor Local Minor Local Major

Page 56

Appendix 3: Results from Benchmarking Exercise with other Councils

Council Auburn (Sydney)

Total Shire Popn

No. of PGs

People per PG

Children 14 and under

Number of Children per PG

73,738

39

1891

14496

372

Capital Renewa l $/Yr

Est. Maint. $/Yr

$45,000

$15,000

PG Strategy Yes (2007) currently reviewing

Renewal Plan Cycle Yrs

Water PG

Local PG Dist.Buffer in m

20

No

500 but moving away from this too constraining

Std Hierarc hy (Reg Dist Local)

Yes

Dubbo

38,805

30

1294

8716

291

LTFP ($100k in 14/15)

NA

In Process

20

Yes

Local 400 (Reg 1.5km)

Yes

Orange

38057

30

1269

8418

281

$65,000

$30,000

Draft Play strategy

20

No

District 750/ Neighbourhood 400

yes

Casey (Melbourne)

252,382

270

935

58600

217

$700k

$800k

Yes

21

No

500

Yes

Bathurst

38,519

40

963

7999

200

last 2 yrs nil

$50,000

No

20

No

150-200

yes

Innovation Moving towards fewer larger PGs. Investing in spaces to keep people there longer Moving away from Rubberised softfall; bark plus spot rubber; new PG engage with community kids voted on 7 designs; moving away from shade sails; natural shade with root barrier New playground built mainly from engineering products eg concrete pipes Retiring some to create more diverse, natural play, refurbs, inclusive play all abilities more about access with some equipment modifications

Adventure PG

Page 57

Bendigo

105,332

121

871

16924

140

$425,00 0 for 2014-15

$180,000

Yes

15-20

Yes

400 - 750M

Yes

Ballarat

93,501

130

719

18163

140

$250k

$150k

Yes

15-20 plus based on condition

Yes

500

Yes

Wagga Wagga

59,458

91

646

12575

137

$159,00 0

$50,000

Yes Draft

20

No

500

No

Tamworth

38,735

60

646

8188

136

100000 (Varies)

$40,000

Mostly

15-20

No

No - removing pocket parks

No

Griffith

23,801

42

567

5546

132

$100,00 0

$50,000

Yes Adopted 2014

20

Yes

400

Yes

Tumut

10,934

18

607

2211

123

LTFP ($50k in 14/15)

$20,000

Yes in Parks Strategy

Condition Based

No

500

Yes

Ongoing improvements with Playground Management including use of recycled materials and surfacing, Implementation of fully computerised inspection system, All relevant Team Members trained and accredited, City of Greater Bendigo hosting Playground Safety Course in September 2014 Concrete edging and drainage now used looks better and better for maintenance; play matta under swings @ $5k per mat; chains with rubber replaced with close coupled chains Playground Strategy May workshop with Council revising hierarchies. Reducing smaller PG number.

Building $2.2million playground. Community fund raising - Adventure park at Marsupial Park $250k + in-kind Water Park; Nature and Recycled materials parks

Pioneer Park - natural play shallow creek, large rocks

Page 58

Albury

47,810

79

605

9299

118

Variable - say 100,000

$70,000

Yes 1997, new one in draft version

15

No

500

Yes

Adventure PG, accessible PGs, focus on play space rather than playground. Draft Play Space Strategy is leading to possibly removing 4-5 playgrounds

Page 59

Appendix 4: An example of a consultation flyer referring people to the funbobulator

Page 60

Appendix 5: Results from the peoples panel community consultation

Page 61

Appendix 6: Playground Maintenance Management

6.1

Safety Inspections

To ensure playgrounds remain safe to use bimonthly on-site inspections are undertaken by Council’s Playground Officer. The process utilises the playground asset list from Council’s playground register (Assetic) which is downloaded onto a mobile tablet computer. A visual inspection is carried out on the edging and softfall; playground equipment; associated trees, landscaping and furniture. Each component of the play equipment is inspected and records documented. The data collected is: • • • • • • • • •

Date inspection due Date inspection done Inspector name Component Defect recorded in Work Ticket Cause Photographs Comments Date Repair Completed (Documented when repair is complete which could be the same time as inspection if the repair is simple) Actual Cost

This process reflects best pratice as outlined in Appendix D of Statewide Mutual Best Practice Manual for Playgrounds (2010). In addition to this, Council’s Parks Operations staff conducts visual inspections of playgrounds when regular the maintenance of parks and open space is carried out.

6.2

Maintenance

To ensure all playgrounds and play spaces are safe for community use, Council must ensure the ongoing maintenance of these facilities. After inspections take place, a risk assessment is undertaken to determine urgency of identified repairs required – low, medium, high. Response times Council works to are: High risk defect– make safe within one (1) day Medium risk defect– make safe within two (2) days Low risk defect) – four (4) to eight (8) weeks Defects with no risk– done when time and resources permit Major repairs or equipment replacement is done as quickly as possible, taking into account factors including ordering parts and delivery times. Depending on the nature of damage, Council staff typically barricade/block access to the damaged component, or close the playground if damage is significant or not possible to effectively barricade.

Approximately 80% of maintenance jobs are completed in response to issues identified in the bimonthly safety inspections. The remaining 20% are completed after customer requests. The most common fault which requires maintenance attention within playgrounds is loose fill softfall having insufficient depth. This can occur through decomposition and compaction in high traffic areas or it being shifted by users.

Replacement of high wear items of equipment such as springs, swing seats and chains/chain fittings are also a common maintenance issue, along with vandalism. Unfortunately public open spaces are extremely prone to being subjected to graffiti and vandalism.

Public facilities tend to be subjected to vandalism particularly when there is a lack of supervision or passive surveillance from nearby residents, passing pedestrians or motorists. Higher levels of local activity tend to act as a deterrent to vandalism. Employing principles such as ensuring sight lines into the space, locating facilities in visible areas, selection and provision of robust materials and sturdy equipment all help contribute to reducing the effects and likelihood of vandalism.

Page 62

It has been found that one of the strongest deterrents of vandalism to public facilities is community ownership. There is clear evidence that where young people have been meaningfully involved in the design process of new playgrounds, vandalism is greatly reduced. Council must also support the concept of playground ownership through prompt action in addressing vandalism or graffiti in playgrounds to ensure they are not left in a damaged state.

6.3

Handover of a new installations from playground suppliers

New equipment is required to have a compliance plate specific to the equipment item as per Australian Standards. The equipment supplier is required to provide a handover letter stating compliance with Australian Standards.

Council carries out an onsite inspection of completed playgrounds as part of the handover process.

This inspection takes place between the Council project manager and the playground supplier representative. The inspection involves ensuring that the playground, all equipment and surfaces meet current Australian Playground standards.

Once a new playground is taken over by Council it needs to be listed in the Asset Register. The following details need to be included: 1. Name and contacts of supplier 2. Name and contacts of installer 3. Council project manager 4. Cost information 5. Photos 6. List of all the equipment components 7. WAE Plans 8. Condition information

Page 63