Council rejects playground submissions

Gosford Council has rejected a number of submissions from local residents and community groups about its Draft Gosford City Playground Strategy.

The Ettalong Beach Business Group asked council to allocate $300,000 funding to the Ettalong Beach Waterfront Playground instead of Kitchener Park.

According to a council report, the group saw the need for "a more substantial playground allocated at The Esplanade rather than Kitchener Park at the back of Ettalong".

The business group said Kitchener Park would service a pocket of residents, however usage on the The Esplanade is far greater.

In response to the submission, council staff stated: "Kitchener Park is planned as a suburb park as it was once a playground site.

"The site has parking, toilets and shade available and would service the Booker Bay and Orange Grove areas that do not have any other park space available to council for the provision of a playground," the report stated.

"The area allocated as the site for the playground on the Ettalong Beach Foreshore Reserve (as outlined in the Ettalong Beach Foreshore Plan of Management) is smaller than Kitchener Park.

"The site also has to facilitate the car park, cycle way, memorial barbecue and picnic facilities and shade planting.

"The $120,000 allocated will build a very large pocket playground on the foreshore that will not dominate the site, yet still facilitate the usage requirements for residents and visitors."

Council received a number of submissions from local residents surrounding the Nambucca Dr Playground in Umina.

According to a council report, an objection to the proposal to update the Nambucca Dr Playground was received on the basis that this would increase threat of extinction of Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland, an Endangered Ecological Community in the bushland reserve adjacent to the existing play area.

The Dulkara Ave playground had previously been the council's preferred site.

In response to the submission, council staff stated: "Nambucca Dr Playground currently sites a well-used playground for the local community in comparison to the Dulkara Ave Playground site".

"The Dulkara Ave playground site was used in 2007 for the translocation of topsoil and seed bank from the development site in Hillview St, Woy Woy, to try and allow the regeneration of the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland vegetation at this site," the report stated.

"The appropriate assessments and recommendations, consultations with community and relevant stakeholders and design elements will be considered when planning the playground upgrade.

"It is anticipated that with proper planning and management measures, that there will be no more impact or potentially less impact than is currently occurring at the existing Nambucca Dr playground site."

Council agenda SF.3, 3 Mar 2009