We want everyone in our community to have the opportunity to play and to help achieve this, we want to ensure that everyone can access a playground within a reasonable distance from their home.

Our Active Recreation Facilities Plan identified Windsor Gardens as an area of playground under supply. The plan recommends the establishment of a new playground at George Crawford Reserve and budget of $30,000 has been allocated in 2023/2024 for engagement and design of the new playground, pending community engagement findings.

We asked for your feedback on the proposal to establish a new playground at George Crawford Reserve. Do you think this is a good idea, and if yes, what play equipment would you like to see?

This engagement closed on Sunday 22 October 2023.

We ask our community if they supported the proposal to establish a new playground at George Crawford Reserve and if yes, what play equipment you would like to have there.

We know that swings, slides and climbing equipment is essential. We asked participants what fourth play element they would like to see, if they supported the playground proposal.

• Concerns regarding retention of open space for ball sports and dog exercise
• Requests to locate the playground on the edge of the grass space to utilise natural shade and maintain open grass space
• Additional recreation elements e.g. basketball hoop
• Understanding traffic / parking impacts of a new playground - local playgrounds are designed for local residents within walking of the reserve
• Requests for lighting to enable night time use - as this is a local playground, we don't encourage use after nightfall.
• Access to toilets - local playgrounds are designed for local residents within walking of the reserve and for short play visits of 15-30 minutes

Following on from the engagement results showing a strong support for a playground to be located at this reserve, we will now work with a landscape designer to create a concept design for the new playground that will be available to share with our community in early 2024.

To ensure adequate open space remains for ball sports and other recreation activities, we are looking to position the playground along the western edge of the grassed area, under the tree canopy and behind the existing clubrooms. We are also looking into the possibility of locating a basketball hoop somewhere at the reserve.

At the Ordinary Council Meeting on 13 February 2024, Council resolved to support the recommendation to endorse the location of the new playground at George Crawford Reserve, and that funding of $350,000 for the construction of the new playground be referred to the 2024-2025 Draft Annual Budget Plan. The meeting agenda and minutes can be read in full on the City of PAE Website.

It is important to note that Council’s decision does not approve the installation of a playground at the George Crawford Reserve. Instead, the project will be included in the 2024-2025 Draft Annual Business Plan, to be endorsed by Council in June 2024.

Community engagement on the Draft Annual Business Plan will be open in April/May 2024 at which time you will have an opportunity to provide feedback.