Existing playground at Barry Stoneham Park
Two new inclusive play spaces will be installed on the MidCoast soon, near Tuncurry’s Rockpool and at Old Bar Park.
Commencing Monday 16 August, the playgrounds in these locations will be closed as the existing equipment is removed.
“We’ll then install new and exciting play spaces to replace the old playgrounds,” said MidCoast Council’s Executive Manager of Community Spaces, Dan Aldridge.
At Barry Stoneham Park near the Tuncurry Rockpool, the new playground will include a combination slide tower which stands just over eight metres tall, a combination swing including nest swing, toddler swing, strap swing and a cub seat swing, and a flying fox.
At Old Bar Park, the new play items will include a tower with slides, combination swing including nest swing, strap swing and an expression swing, musical / sensory play and a junior play area.
Both playgrounds will be completed with landscaping and shade sails. Weather permitting, works are expected to be finished by mid-November and the new play spaces ready for lots of adventures.
These projects are funded by the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.
MidCoast Council manages 86 playgrounds across the region, with 10 identified as high use / regional parks, and the remainder either categorised as high use district parks, or lower use neighbourhood parks.
Council has a plan for playground upgrades which focuses on maintenance and providing structured or natural shade over playground equipment and improving accessibility to play equipment.
Since 2018, playgrounds have been upgraded at Coolongolook Oval, Palmgrove Park in Forster, Limeburners Creek, Billabong Park in Gloucester, Providence Bay Park in Hawks Nest, at Nabiac including a small cycle loop, at Gordon Smith Reserve in Harrington, partnering with the Harrington Lions Club and the Livvis Place inclusive play space in Fotheringham Park, Taree.
Shade sails have been installed in playgrounds in Forster, Tuncurry, Wingham, Coolongolook, Taree, Stroud, and Harrington between August 2019 and September 2020, thanks to a NSW Government Stronger Country Communities Fund grant of $550,000.
