City of Greater Bendigo Active and Healthy Lifestyles Manager Lincoln Fitzgerald said the decision to build a skate park in Kangaroo Flat was made by the City in 2017.
“At that time Cook’s Reserve located on the corner of Browning Street and Calder Highway was identified as the potential site for the skate park,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
“However, during the initial community engagement phase, concerns were raised by members of the community that Cook’s Reserve was not an ideal site for a skate park due to the close proximity of the Calder Highway and neighbouring residential properties.
“These concerns were considered by the City along with the learnings from other skate park projects and Crown Land opposite the Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre, off Browning Street was considered as a more suitable site for the development.”
The Browning Street site:
- Provides a better opportunity to design and build an elongated shaped skate park to cater for multiple skills levels and abilities, and universal design principles
- Is within 20 meters of the nearest road, and within sight and accessible to Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre
- Has excellent access to the Bendigo Creek Walking and Cycling Trail, Gateway Park and other local recreational facilities, spaces and public amenities
- Diversifies the types of activities that occur within the existing reserve, a key consideration in the State Government Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria when considering public space development
- Provides better buffer zones between residential housing and the skate park
- Has good access to public transport, is close to nearby car parking areas
- Has better set-back from busy roads
- Will enhance other local facilities in the precinct
“The City is now calling on the community to tell us what type of equipment and elements they would like to see included in the design of the skate park. We want to hear from all interested residents particularly women, girls, people with different abilities and existing skate park users.”
Residents can have their say online on the Let’s Talk platform at www.letstalkgreaterbendigo.com.au/kangaroo-flat-skate-park or by emailing [email protected] by Friday September 10, 2021.
Listening posts will also be held on-site at 3pm to 4.30pm on Friday August 27 and 3pm to 4.30pm Thursday September 2 and at McKern Skate Park, Eaglehawk at 3.30pm to 4.30pm on Monday August 30.
