It’s time to make a splash!

IT’S sometimes hard to make a decision. There’s nothing worse, however, than being left out of a decision-making process, especially if it is something that is important to you.

Douglas Shire Council has recently secured funding to deliver a Splash Park in Port Douglas by May 2024 and they are inviting the community to express their preferred location, plus have input into its design.

In late 2020, Douglas Shire Council did a survey about splash parks and swimming pools. A total of 85 per cent of people were in favour of a splash park and 68 per cent of the local population were in favour of a second swimming facility in Port Douglas.

While there is currently no available funding to design and construct a swimming pool, Douglas Shire Council are taking the opportunity to find out whether the community supports a possible swimming facility for Port Douglas in the future.

Local Council will provide an overview of estimated opera tional costs so people can consider whether they would support allocating a portion of rates revenue to this project.

The Splash Park, on the other hand, is now a reality and as a result, Douglas Shire Council will ask the community to choose between two potential locations in Port Douglas. The positions in question are either Jalunbu Park behind the Port Douglas Surf Life Saving Club or Reynolds Park, on Davidson Street.

There are two opportunities tomorrow, Saturday February 18, to learn more about the project, plus have your say on your preferred location and the general design of the Splash Park.

There will also be the opportunity to give your opinion and level of support for a public swimming facility in Port Douglas and whether it should be a 50-metre lap pool or free form lagoon.

To have your say tomorrow, there is firstly the ‘Come and Play’ event from 9am until 12pm at Jalunbu Park, on the corner of Garrick and Mowbray Street. The morning will include free

Daintree ice cream and some fun family activities and games.

Then again, tomorrow, from 5pm there will be a Family Movie Night at Reynolds Park, near the Tennis Club, where it’s suggested you take along a picnic basket and rug for a screening of the family movie Moana. There will also be live music and face painting.

If you can’t make these events, there will be a stall set up with Pink Flamingos at Sunday’s Port Douglas Markets from 8am until 1.30pm.

Word on the street suggests that Jalunbu Park is the current favourite splash park location, but why not have your say this weekend!

I’m off to put my thinkin... or should I say swimming cap on, so for now it’s Gazza signing out!

Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au