Strategy lists 21 playgrounds but 20-year wait for others
Central Coast Council adopted its playground strategy at its May 25 meeting with a total of 21 parks listed as playground locations on the Peninsula.
However, submissions from Peninsula residents have been deferred for consideration - in some cases, up to 20 years into the future.
Requests for reinstatement of play equipment at Panorama Park in Kingsview Dr, Umina Heights, and for play equipment at Ettalong Oval will have to wait for up to 20 years.
They were met with the council staff response that they "will form part of the 20-year renewal program", despite the fact that Panorama Park was not listed as playground locations in the strategy.
A request for "spaces with equipment like parkour, ninja course, water elements etc to entice bigger kids, youth, teenagers to engage in outdoor activities" was met with the same response.
A statement was added to the strategy that "Neighbourhood local parks accessible to communities within walking distance will remain as valuable recreation facilities in addition to larger recreational multi-use open space destinations".
Local parks were defined in the strategy as parks within 400 to 800 metres walking distance.
One request for a playground at Panorama Park was met with the response that Vernon Park was "nearby" and that "this will be considered as part of future reviews of the strategy".
Panorama Park is about a 1.5 kilometre walk from Panorama Park.
Being in Umina Heights, its elevation is more than 110 metres higher than Vernon Park.
Access to Vernon Park from Panorama Park is via the steep Kingsview Dr, which has no footpaths, and is not practically navigable with a pram.
The strategy identified playgrounds in Umina in Brisbane Ave, Lentara Rd and Cowper Rd, as well as at Guyangil Park in Australia Ave, Vernon Park in Ryans Rd, WL Lloyd Park on The Esplanade, Umina Recreation Area in Ocean Beach Rd, and at Umina Tennis Courts at Umina oval.
Playgrounds were identified in Woy Woy in Nambucca Dr and at Runway Park in Trafalgar Ave, at Woy Woy Lions Park in North Burge Rd, at Stoney Park in Rawson Rd, at Pelican Park in The Boulevarde and at Gurdon Reserve at Woy Woy Bay.
Playgrounds were identified in Ettalong at the waterfront reserve in the Esplanade and at Ettalong Oval in Picnic Pde, as well as at Wallaby Reserve in Memorial Ave, Blackwall.
In Pearl Beach, playgrounds were identified in Pearl Pde and at the Pearl Beach Tennis Courts.
At Patonga, they were identified at the camping ground and on the foreshore.
SOURCE:
Central Coast Council agenda 2.7, 25 May 2021