The community must be given an effective voice BEFORE this playground is built
Concept for Curtis Park playground
Might Armidale playground look like something like this?
Shelter under construction in Curtis Park
Sydney Park toilet block
Sydney Park slides
Cascading water in Sydney Park
Wildplay garden, Centennial Park, Sydney
Wildplay garden, Centennial Park, Sydney
Tamworth playground
Our association agrees that Armidale needs a great new playground for our kids! And yes, we need it now!
But our community association believes that there are serious problems that must be considered before it is built. We have evidence of support from the community - see comments on our most recent Facebook post. Also, have a look at all the good ideas from the community put forward in response to the recent Press Release from Council published in the Armidale Express online. Council has not asked whether you think this playground is a good overall concept or whether it is in the best location.
Please ask yourselves these questions before you give Council a thumbs up:
Will any of your ideas put forward on Facebook be taken notice of by Council? They want you to do their survey - strictly limited to just possible additional equipment (if more money can be found) via Council's Yoursay website - but only after you register - and how many will bother to do that?
Is Curtis Park the best location? It is what the Economic Development team of Council has proposed. The ideas from community comments to the Council press release are asking for lots of features - areas for toddlers, small kids, bigger kids, adults, disabled facilities, etc ... all great ideas. So, will Curtis Park really be big enough?
What about parking - for the playground, for the Information Centre, for Hungry Jacks, for those having picnics?
What will happen to the markets?
Is the playground equipment proposed really what we want to see? Is the equipment made of natural materials? Is it really what the community wants?
Yes the Tamworth playground it great. But what about the other great playgrounds many of you (and our association in our ‘Inspirations’ web pages) have mentioned?
Will there be real shade from real trees or is that just part of the concept design?
Will there be any room left for water features in the creeklands after the playground is installed or will we have to keep the stone-lined drain? We think that the view from the Marsh St bridge over the creeklands through Curtis Park is the “jewel in the crown” of views to attract visitors to stop (or NOT stop) in our beautiful city.
Will the inevitable intermittent flooding damage the playground and/or any fencing? If so, should the playground be located above the flood zone?
What did the Creeklands Master Plan (completed by Council consultants for $80,000 in 2018) say about the best location for a playground(s) and what changes did they envisage for Curtis Park? To our knowledge, no-one has seen the Plan - why not? Surely we should see it as it was prepared by the same consultants who designed the admirable water and playground and toilet/kiosk facilities you can see on our website link. Why won't Council release it? The ratepayers paid for it!
What does the Armidale Regional Plan 2040 - recently prepared by Sydney consultants (due to be released in May 2020) - say about this playground proposal? This plan has not been released yet; nor has it been commented on by the public/community; nor has it been voted on by Council. Should Council be pushing ahead constructing a playground before any recommendations of these expensive planning exercises have been seen, commented on and voted upon?
Please consider the above questions and take any action you think is appropriate. We encourage you to communicate to Council (council@armidale.nsw.gov.au) if you support or have concerns about the playground which is currently under construction in Curtis Park.
If Council goes ahead with this development as is, we believe it may well turn out to be $1m of public money 'down the drain'.
To see just a few inspirations we have proposed for our creeklands, please visit more of our Inspirations web pages and follow links to the next several pages which show lots of water and plenty of inspirational playground ideas. They have been up on our website for ages - but Council does not seem to be interested, even though we have met with them and made submissions to inform them of our ideas.
Residents should insist that our Council listens to those who put forward ideas and visions that the community supports. If we don't know what the community supports, then we should find out via a thorough process of community consultation. And THEN, hopefully we can all enjoy a great playground in the best location possible!
And if you support what Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc is trying to achieve for Armidale, why not Join Us and/or Donate to lend your weight to our community voice.
Your sincerely,
The committee, Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc.