New St Leonards Park playground targets older kids

By a staff reporter

A new playground aimed at older children has been officially launched alongside the existing one at St Leonards Park in North Sydney. The new playground was facilitated by $650K of state government funding.

NSW planning minister Anthony Roberts, North Shore state MP Felicity Wilson and North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker launched the playground at a ceremony yesterday afternoon.

Roberts told about 150 parents and children in attendance that: “Our public open spaces are at the heart of our communities and I think COVID reminded us of the importance of parks and open spaces. And that’s why the New South Wales Government launched the $250 million Public Spaces Legacy Program, which was the largest injection into this area in a generation, and that was about improving access to quality open space right across this great state.”

“The program is delivering more than 100 projects and today North Sydney bears the fruit.”

Wilson said: “When we think about our own children and when we think about their friends and their peers, we need these places.”

“I’m raising my kids in an apartment. We need the trees, the grass, the open space, and actually play and enjoy each other’s company. And one of the biggest pieces of feedback that we get in this area is having facilities for older kids. This is the kind of activity that we want to support in our areas by making sure that we’re funding these types of infrastructure and equipment for all families, all ages, all ability levels and making sure it’s inclusive. The design is amazing.”

Baker said: “I’d like to acknowledge and thank Fiona Robey, the landscape architect, for helping us to create this park and JJ Landscapes, for going beyond our expectations in delivering the park. This playground is a much, much needed addition to the existing playground for smaller children, but it’s not the park’s first playground for older children. Photo archives show that in the 1930s there are photographs of children of all ages playing on swings and seesaws that would not pass any risk assessment.”