Share your thoughts on the draft Concept Plan
On 12 August 2025, Council resolved to establish a new playground in McCarron Way Reserve, considering feedback received from community consultation.
Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback. You can find out what we heard in the engagement summary below.
We have allocated a budget of $50,000 in 2025/2026 as the first step in establishing a new playground in this location. This has been allocated to design the playground and undertake further community consultation.
We are excited to share with you the concept design for this playground. Use the interactive tools to explore the different elements been included in the design. Other reserve features, such as picnic facilities, sports courts or toilets are not a part of this project.
A budget for construction of the playground will be included in the draft 2026-2027 Annual Business Plan, which will be available for community consultation in early-mid 2026.
Find out more on this page then share your thoughts on the concept in the survey below.
Community Engagement closes 19 December 2025.
Share your thoughts
Concept Plan
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Engagement summary
What we heard
Key Comments and Concerns
- Recreational facilities including fitness equipment, a multi-use half court, walking paths and water play
- Amenities including a fenced playground, built shelter, BBQ and picnic tables, public lighting, seating, natural shade, a public toilet, a café, dog free areas and a community library
- Water play features, a flying fox, nature play elements, inclusive equipment, a shade structure and separate play areas for older and younger children
- A loss of informal and peaceful open space for passive recreation
- An increase in ambient noise levels, including barking dogs
- A loss of security and privacy for the adjacent residential properties with visual access of these properties from the reserve
- A lack of passive surveillance from main roads
- An increase in people loitering and displaying antisocial behaviours
- An increase in traffic congestion on the adjacent local roads
- A loss of on-street parking
- An unreasonable level of risk for children walking and cycling on the adjacent residential road network
- A conflict between dogs and children
- Errant children leaving the playground area and reaching Regency Road
- A devaluation of adjacent residential property values
- Better use of funds for other infrastructure improvements
What changed?
Following community engagement in May/June 2025 we conducted a risk assessment to consider community concerns. The findings indicated the risks can be mitigated to a level that’s acceptable and similar to other playgrounds of an equivalent size and nature.
As a result, the playground will be located centrally between the eastern and western property boundaries at the northern end of the reserve to allow for other activities between the playground and the existing stormwater basin. In addition, a physical barrier (e.g. plantings/trees, or seating) between the northern edge of the playground and the footpath will reduce the likelihood of children running onto Regency Road while they’re playing.
The playground’s play experiences will include sliding, swinging, climbing, jumping and balancing. The design will also include rubber softfall, seating, a drinking fountain, a communications board and natural shade. We may consider other reserve features in the future, depending on community preferences and budgetary considerations.
Background
Council proposed to establish a new playground at McCarron Way Reserve in Croydon Park and sought community input about the kinds of equipment and play experiences our community would like to see included at this space.
McCarron Way Reserve is a relatively new reserve that was established in 2018 as part of a housing development. The reserve functions as a stormwater detention basin to collect run off from surrounding houses and roads and prevent localized flooding.
Within our Active Recreation Plan there was a recommendation to establish a new playground within a new reserve in Croydon Park due to the lower provision of play opportunities in this area. Suffficient open space was identified at McCarron Way Reserve to support a local playground for use by surrounding residents and with a focus on ages 2 to 8 years.
We asked local residents if you support the proposal for a new playground at McCarron Way reserve and if yes, what play equipment and experiences you would like to have at this site.
Feedback on the proposal closed on 15 June 2025.
