Our Open Space Asset Management Plan schedules renewal dates for our playgrounds. This date is determined when a new playground is installed, based on its expected useful life.

Each year, a budget is allocated for all playground renewals that are identified in our Open Space Asset Management Plan as requiring replacement.

No, not necessarily. Council staff inspect upcoming playground renewals to assess their functionality. In some cases, they may recommend deferring a playground renewal (or specific equipment) because it’s in good, safe condition.

Also, in cases where the playground isn’t highly visited, we might hold the renewal to talk to the community about how they use the space before deciding how we proceed. In other cases, a playground renewal might happen earlier than its scheduled time to coincide with a reserve upgrade or other works.

We consider the reserve and playground location and classification hierarchy, its intended use (in the Community Land Management Plan), age, functionality, quality, demand and visitation, the existing play footprint, and the current and future demographics of the area. Feedback from the community over time as well as prior to the renewal will also influence the play design alongside industry standards and best practice, and new and developing play trends.

Our Open Space Strategy 2025 sets out four reserve and playground ‘hierarchies’ (classifications) – local, neighbourhood, district and regional, representing the smallest to largest respectively. Each classification guides what infrastructure might be considered in future planning and development of those spaces alongside other important factors.

• Local: The playground will cater for a local area and could be small and relatively basic with only a few pieces of equipment. They are generally targeted at a younger demographic and are in walking distance.
• Neighbourhood: The playground may still be basic but sturdy and have several pieces of equipment, of good quality. A high-level neighbourhood playground might include more unique play features that increase play value and appeal (more innovative). Aims to provide a local destination that people can still walk to and easily access eg Nedford Reserve.
• District: The playground should be good quality, creative and unique, offering an appealing play experience. It should cater for various age groups and abilities and be well located to potentially attract and benefit people from across several areas, not just local or nearby suburbs eg Collins Reserve
• Regional: The playground should include several pieces of unique, innovate or quality equipment and covers a large footprint. It will cater to a range of age groups and abilities, contain many different play elements and activities, and integrate with landscaping and artwork. These playgrounds are in highly visited areas and have the potential to attract and benefit people from across and beyond the city eg Point Malcolm Reserve.

We will not consider the following aspects as part of a playground renewal project:

• The timing of the playground renewal
• The playground renewal budget
• The size of the playground and its footprint
• Adding more or significantly larger play features
• Playground fencing, unless its otherwise specified for construction or renewal.
• New reserve features and amenities, unless specifically identified as inclusions in the design, such as shade sails/structures, BBQ’s, shelters & picnic settings, public toilets, water fountains or features, and/or fitness equipment or sporting accessories.

If you believe there is a high demand for any of the above elements at your local reserve, we encourage you to contact us on 8408 1111 to lodge a request for future consideration. Alternatively, you can contact your local elected ward member who can consider lodging a budget request for the improvements in an upcoming financial year.

We generally don’t include the installation of additional playground and reserve features as part of a renewal. These elements would be considered when doing minor reserve improvements as a result of a dedicated budget bid, or as part of a major reserve upgrade.

Playground renewals are limited by the size of the original playground footprint and the budget for replacement equipment.

The feedback you share with us during playground renewal consultation will be used by our playground designers (Landscape Architects) to create a new, replacement play space. This is your opportunity to inform what the new play space might include or how it might look.

We want to know if and how you use the current playground, how you like to play, and if you think there is something missing from the current playground that we should consider in the renewal if we can, or as part of future reserve improvements.

If you are aware of a special need or play requirement in your community then let us know about that in your feedback, too.

Requests for specific elements in your feedback are noted and considered, however we may not be able to include them in the renewal design for various reasons. If we can’t consider your specific request, it’s helpful for us to understand what features you or your family enjoy when planning other nearby playground renewals.

The final design will balance all feedback received, and other factors such as the existing elements and space, universal design principles, accessibility and inclusivity (all abilities and ages equipment), and budget, as well as considering community feedback and requests wherever possible.

If you are a local and received a hard copy package in your letterbox notifying you of the playground renewal consultation, you will not automatically receive the final design notification in your letterbox.

We will only notify participants of the consultation process and followers of this project page with the final playground design, as informed by the information you share with us during the consultation among several other considerations.

If you don't want to participate or follow the page, then please check back here around December or January to view the final playground designs.

Playground renewal construction will usually commence in the first six months of a calendar year, annually, although sometimes selected sites may commence a few months earlier depending on the availability of equipment and contractors.

We will notify playground users, reserve visitors and the local area before construction is due to commence through onsite signage at the reserve.