Waterlily Playscape Committee Waterlily Playscape ...€¦ · Waterlily Playscape Committee Waterlily Playscape, Waterlily Park, Ocean Shores Community Consultation Report G16-0004

Waterlily Playscape Committee Waterlily Playscape, Waterlily Park, Ocean Shores

Community Consultation ReportG16-0004

Issue A • 18/07/16

G16-0004\06 LAYOUT\A REPORTS\G16_04 R01 CONSUTLATION REPORT Page 2 of 9

1. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT BACKGROUND The Waterlily Playscape project is focused on building a new and exciting children’s Playground in Waterlily Park, located in the village of Ocean Shores in northern NSW. The Waterlily Playscape Committee has been formed to secure funding, work with Byron Shire Council, design the playscpae and ultimately construct the playsacpe through partnerships with the community, community organisations and council with the potential for a contractor to oversee and/or construct parts of the playscape including bespoke and off the shelf playground equipment. An important aspect of the project engaging with the community to identify their ideas of what could be included in the playscape and also their involvement in the creation of the playscape. CLOUSTON Associates were engaged to prepare a Concept Plan and undertake community consultation. The following sections of this report provide a description of the consultation activities and a summary of the key findings. 2. SCHOOL CONSULTATIONS Students from four local schools were involved in the school consultation process:

School name & address Age group and number of students

Date and time Facilitator

Ocean Shores Public School Shara Boulevarde, Ocean Shores

Year 6; 15 students (School Parliament)

Wednesday 22 June 9.15-11.00am

Cassandra Denney

The Pocket The Pocket Road, Billinudgel

Year 3,4,5; 15 students

Wednesday 22 June 12.15-1.30pm

Cassandra Denney

Brunswick Heads Public School 2 Fingal Lane, Brunswick Heads

Year 3-5; 12 students

Wednesday 29 June 10.00-11.00am

Orit Ben-Harush

Mullumbimby Public School 9 Jubilee Ave., Mullumbimby

Year 6; 8 students (student leaders’ group)

Tuesday 28 June 9.00-10.00am

Orit Ben-Harush

Cassandra Denney is the Project Landscape Architect from CLOUSTON Associates. Orit Ben-Harush is a member of the Waterlily Playscape Committee. Orit and Tina Petroff from the Waterlily Playscape Committee also attended all four consultations. Approximately 50 children were consulted as part of the school consultation exercise. The purpose of the school consultations was to:

Engage with children in the design process and gather ideas for the playscape.

Explain the opportunities and constraints of the physical site such as flooding.

Explain potential constraints associated with funding, budgets, construction of equipment in regard to safety etc.

Convey the experience to parents and carers in order to promote the project.

Introduce the idea of fundraising partnerships with the schools. No design plan was shown to the children. The activities were aimed at getting the children to explore and express their own ideas. Detailed notes were taken and can be found in Appendix A. The students also prepared drawings and stories that have been digitally scanned and kept by the Waterlily Playscape Committee as a resource.


The following activities took place at each school:

No. Activity Description

1 Introduction Set the scene

Introduce the consultants/adults Introduce the activities – fun Introduce the park and project Using map - can you see where you live on the map? How do you like to get to the park? Walk/cycle/drive?

2 “We need your help…” We are going to build a park – what do we need to think about? Problem solving activity

What things do we need to think about to build a park? Lead into discussion about: design, materials, safety, money, do we want

people to come to the park – what do people need at a park etc. For older children nominate someone to write ideas on flip chart

3 “Awesome vs. Boring” What looks awesome and like something you would like to do What looks boring and how would you change it Comparison activity using images

Identify things children like about the park Identify things that they think could be better Identify types of play activities that the children like A series of photos on tables. Children have 6 sticky notes. For three sticky

notes identify your top 3 ‘awesome’ activities/playground features; on the other three your ‘boring’ spaces/activities and how they would improve them.

Children to present back to group, facilitator to choose some photos with interesting responses.

4 “What is your favourite thing to do in Waterlily Park” Imaginative activity Drawing or writing

Imagine Waterlily Park has been designed and built and all the things we thought about earlier on have been resolved

Imagine that you are now able to go to the park on the weekends, after school

What is your favourite thing to do at the park? Draw it or write a story about it Choose 5-7 to present back to the class

Activity number 3 and 4 above were targeted at obtaining design ideas and ideas for what could be included in the park. The overall feedback can be divided into the following themes:

Adventure and challenge: o The students were very excited about multi-level play equipment such as raised

platforms, tree houses and alike. o Monkey bars, flying foxes and pyramid style climbing nets were listed as exciting by

all four school groups o Obstacle courses, ropes courses and flying foxes were also popular. o Waterplay was also popular, especially with pumps and taps.

Traditional park equipment: o The following were popular items to be included and suggested by all four groups:

Sandpit; Swings; Basket Swings; Fireman’s Pole; Spinner (running wheel/turn table); Multi-Level Tree House; See-Saw; Slide; Tunnels; Spider Web Equipment; Cubby House; Ropes; Waterpark; Water Pumps.

Reuse of existing equipment: o Some children suggested ways in which the existing slide platform could be re-used

such as painting (re-powder coating); using it as a frame to create something else; adding timber or other materials.


Overall Waterlily Park design o Most students saw the need for some basic amenities to be added to the overall park

such as: Public Toilets, Picnic Tables & Shelters; Pedestrian/Bike circuit/track around lake; Bike Racks; Bins; Cycleways with added Road Safety Awareness; Dog Bag Dispenser; Fence around Playground; Running track; Bubblers and bins, including recycle and compost bins. These ideas were also mentioned at the community consultation by the adults who completed a questionnaire.

Safety o Concerned about some safety issues associated with falling from obstacle course

style equipment and stepping stones. o Concerned about younger children’s safety o Concerned about found object style play such as building a fort or cubby from large

sticks o Falling from trees

Other ideas o Mural on tennis club wall o Unrealistic ideas such as slides going into the lake; nets under trees for trapeze style

activities in the trees. o Skate parks, BMX tracks etc. which in themselves are not realistic, but not suitable

for this site.


3.0 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION A community event was held on 3 July at Waterlily Park. The event was advertised through the Waterlily Park Facebook page, school newsletters and a letter box drop to residential properties backing onto Waterlily Park. The event was help between 2.00 and 4.00pm. Approximately 40 to 50 people attended. Thirty-five questionnaires were completed at the event. The Draft Concept Plan was on display at the event and Project Landscape Architect Cassandra Denney was at the event (along with members of the Waterlily Playscape Design Committee) to explain the design and answer any questions. 3.1 Questionnaire results The questionnaire contained the following questions. Question 1: Do you think the Draft Concept Plan, if constructed, would create an inviting and interesting play space for the Ocean Shores Community? Key results for question 1 were:

32 (91%) respondents ticked ‘Yes’, indicating that they thought the Draft Concept Plan would create an inviting and interesting play space for the Ocean Shores Community

Three respondents ticked ‘Don’t Know’ (and there were no responses who ticked “No”) Question 2: What features do you like about the Draft Concept Plan? Respondents were able to indicate more than one of the following features:

New play area

New imaginative play spaces

Improved car parking area

New paths

Relocated exercise equipment

Retained area for informal sports

Community gathering area

New features at the lake edge The following table indicates the most popular features of the Draft Concept Plan. The top three features were the new play area (78%), new imaginative play spaces (73.2%) and Community gathering area (65.9%).


Respondents were also able to indicate any specific features of the concept plan not listed. Responses for this category included:

Plant more shade trees

Balance Beams

Deck (wooden flat platform for yoga)

Tables/benches/BBQs/toilet for community use & meetings would be great

Blank concrete pad for hand ball, hopscotch etc.

Need cycleways connecting the sportsfield with the parks and playscape

Tyre Swing, ‘Donald Trump punching bag’, bridge

Natural play areas, seating, tree house, jetty, shelter

New imaginative play spaces - especially 4,5,+6+multiuser space These responses are very similar to some of the responses for question 3. There is a possibility that this question was not properly understood as some items from the list above do not identify features within the Concept Plan not listed as options to tick for Question 2. Question 3: Do you have any other ideas for the Waterlily Playscape? This question was an open ended question for the community to provide other ideas and suggestions. The responses have been divided into topics, with multiple responses for the same issue/item indicated in brackets. Shade and vegetation

MUST have LOTS of shade to cover the entire playground. A hard structure roof like the one at Missingham park in Ballina would be amazing, then it gives somewhere to play when it’s raining and shade (4)

Same sort of imaginative wooden structure to use as a shade

More trees (including shade trees) (3)

Vegie gardens/fruit trees Equipment or features

Improved play equipment for children (2)

Toddler friendly play equipment with appropriate steps and safety rails, so they are safe to climb and explore.

Swing (tyre, vine, large) (4)

Extension of exercise equipment

BBQs (free, electric) (4)

Deck so people can do yoga. Big enough to have 8-10 people.

Picnic tables

Toilets (3)

Bubblers

Large climbing rocks, flying fox, hammocks, spider web

Tree house to climb and play

Utilising Nature

Rope systems for play zone (feeling natural - exercising children in nice environment) (2)

Public art could be included


Other ideas for the project

Night market to promote fundraise project

Environmentally friendly, sustainable and managed

The play space needs to be accessible which could be achieved by a bridge to create access from all sides

Local Indigenous input, signage, eg. Welcome to country

I would like to offer free yoga classes 1 day per week

Chemical free maintenance of playground.

Lots of areas for parents to sit and watch Some ideas for Question 3 related to the Waterlily Park as a whole and were not specific to the Waterlily Playscape project. These are highlighted below. Other ideas outside project scope

Paths and tracks: o Undulating bike track - solid surface for smaller bikes around the lake (over bridge). o A footbridge over the drain to complete a circuit is a high priority o A boardwalk or path going around the pond and a skate park. o I'd love to see a raised walkway around the lake o A concrete bike track - but this may be part of the bigger picture for the park o Bike path around lake, with small bridge, so no need to go near road o Road way education for young bike riders (road rules) o Path around lake

Hard surfaces: o Balance Beams/skateboards/roller blade area, walking tracks, o Small concrete area to roller skate + Netball ring. Many uses including handball-

hopscotch

Community garden (3)

Area for boats/canoes to informally access the lake

Dog poo bags (2), water bowl and water bubbler

BMX area

Tax deductible donations through Mullum seed charity. DGR Status "Bunya Fund".

Paddle-boats, go cart track 4.0 SUMMARY Overall the first round of community consultation was a success. There has been positive support for the project and the draft concept plan. Some of the play features listed by the children have been included in the Concept Plan (revision E). There will be more opportunity in the detailed design phase, such as when choosing off the shelf equipment, to review the feedback again. The park amenity suggestions such as shade, public toilets, seating, shelters, barbecues etc. have also been included in the Concept Plan. Suggested next steps/opportunities

Continue the enthusiasm for the project whilst also containing community expectations through communication (facebook group, newsletter etc.)

Committee to work with Council to upgrade the facilities at Waterlily Park (outside the scope of the Playscape project):

o The list of suggestions should be passed onto Council officers to review against the Plan of Management.

o Prepare an overall masterplan with stages and associated cost plan for overall park upgrades to identify priority works


o Update Plan of Management if necessary o Prepare detailed designs for new works

Secure funding for Stage 2 (Detailed Design) of the project and carry out detailed design

Prepare a fundraising strategy

Photos from the Community event held on 3 July at Waterlily Park


APPENDIX A

OVERVIEW OF SCHOOL CONSULTATION/KIDS VIEWS 29/6/16

BRUNSWICK HEADS PRIMARY SCHOOL

In Attendance: 12 x Year 3 - 5 students. Orit and Tina; and Teacher, Jody Ridgeway.

Teacher and 80% of the kids live close to Waterlily Lake and have played on the current equipment.

Only 2 students hadn’t played there.

Designing of Playground: What do you notice on the Aerial View of Waterlily Park ?

The Lake; Tennis Courts; Their House and the Teacher’s house; Gym Equipment, Slide and Fireman’s

pole that need repainting; Swings for little kids.

What could we do with the old equipment then ? It’s rusty and has to be sanded back properly

and painted again; We could add bits to the slide; We could move it to add to other equipment;

Need more swings for bigger kids.

Very happy that a skatepark is going to be built soon at Sth Golden Beach.

Would like Monkey Bars; Building things with sticks found in the playground; Inground trampoline;

Hand Ball Court; Bigger swings for 4 – 8 kids ie large tyre with net in the middle connected by 4 ropes

in tree; Basket Swings; Fairy Houses; Fireman’s Pole; Spinner/Whizzer (running wheel/turn table);

Multi-level tree house with slides or flying fox between the trees; Flying fox over lake with harness;

Underground Tunnels; Peddle/push train; Awesome high equipment; Towers with climbing jungle

jim between; Wobbly bridges; Flying Saucer (2 people push); Climbing wall with slide into Lake; High

Spider Web Pyramid; Low ropes and High ropes course; Cubby House; Stepping Mushrooms; Ropes;

Standing push/pull spinner; Parallel Bars; Soccer Goals; Netball and Basketball Courts or half court;

Bigger Playground; Waterplay; Water Pumps.

Would like Picnic tables and seats; Shelters; Cycle and walking track around Park; Public Toilets;

Free BBQ; More car spaces; Large Shade Trees to get out of the sun and rain; Shade over the

equipment; Bubblers; Keep noise away from houses.

What do we need to build this new playscape ? Lots of money for equipment; Natural

Materials; Need Cycle and walking tracks to get there; Clean toilets.

What if we had a small amount of money ? Make things from wood that doesn’t rot; Reuse and

recycle; Repaint Slippery Dip, and add things to it; Build it bit by bit; Need to do Fundraisers like

Sausage Sizzle and Raffles.

What are we talking about when we’re being ‘realistic’ ? Safety issues; Do we have enough

room for all equipment; Do we have enough money to pay for it; Making towers safe; Safe areas to test

yourself.

What are we talking about when there is Flooding Issues ? Make sure timber doesn’t rot;

Water rises and equipment goes under water; Be careful with location of equipment; When it

overflows it gets dirty and we need to make sure equipment is cleaned properly; Make sure things

don’t wash away.

Awesome Things – Love rope climbing; Water Play; Climbing Trees and Tree Houses; BBQing with

family; Fundraising to get more equipment.

6 Sticky Notes for Each student (3 for ticks of why they like it, 3 for crosses to improve

what’s there) Students spent time deciding on their top 3 best things and 3 things they could

improve on, and stuck them on the large photos. Orit took photos of the results.

Draw or Write about your favourite things to do. All papers collected by Orit for further

review later.

Finished at 10am.


MULLUMBIMBY PUBLIC SCHOOL

In Attendance: 8 x Year 6 students from Student Leaders Group. Orit, Tina and Mayor Simon.

Only 2 of 8 (25%) have visited Waterlily Park.

Designing of Playground: What do you think of Waterlily Park now ?

Like more ropes and spider nets to climb; Slippery Dip run down, need more equipment; Like to play

in the Water.

What could we do with the old equipment then ? Lots of safety issues, but could paint it again,

add extra pieces to it and add wood chip underneath it, or move it.

Would like mural on tennis club wall; Water features (using reusable water); Toddler area; Small

static flying fox, like Kingscliff Park; Multi-Level Tree House with flying fox into the lake; Tunnels for

kids and separate tunnels for adults; Spider Net Equipment; Climbing Nets and Ropes; Tree houses

with connecting walkways up in the trees; Cubby House Nooks; A bigger swing for 4 - 8 kids ie. a big

tyre with netting in the middle connected with 4 chains or ropes; Different age zones, incl adult zone;

2 person rockers; A huge slide; Interesting suggestion of netting under the trees or high structures for

soft landing like circus performers. Solid shade over some play areas that can be skated on; More

shade. None of these students have been to the flying fox in Knox Park, Murwillumbah, but love the

one at Tallowood (back of Mullumbimby). Mullum kids also have access to a great local skatepark.

Would like more Picnic Tables & Shelters; Track around Park; Public Toilets; Bike circuit/track

around lake; Bike Racks; Bins; Cycleways with added Road Safety Awareness; Dog Bag Dispenser;

Fence around Playground; Running track; Bubblers and bins, including recycle and compost bins;

Canteen with tea/coffee machine that adults can buy their drinks, and cold drinks for the kids.

What if we had a small amount of money ? Use timber to build (make sure wood doesn’t rot);

Reuse and recycle; Use materials from the environment; Fundraise; Reuse slippery dip, repaint it, add

more to it or relocate it.

What are we talking about when we’re being ‘realistic’ ? Safety issues; Safe Places to play;

Getting equipment we can afford; Safe Areas to Test Yourself; Enough space to build a playscape.

What are we talking about when there is Flooding Issues ? Water rises; Timber might rot

and metal might rust on play equipment, be careful with location of equipment; Build elevated

equipment; mowing needs to be done more often; need good visibility for parents; lots of water to

play in.

Awesome Things – Love obstacle courses and rope climbing; Water Play; Love running.



improve on, and stuck them on the large photos. Orit took photos of the results.

Despite instruction to suggest improvement with their crosses, there were many crosses on the photo

of trees, with X suggesting kids could fall and get hurt. This surprised Simon, so he asked “who has

climbed trees ?” A. 6 “How many had fallen ?” A. 2 “How many have climbed a tree again ?” A. All

Draw or Write about your favourite things to do. All papers collected by Orit for further

review later. Finished at 11am.


OCEAN SHORES PUBLIC SCHOOL

In Attendance: 13 x Year 6 students from Student’s Council.

Designing of Playground: What do you think of Waterlily Park now ?

Like more swings; Slippery Dip uninviting with graffiti and very rundown, need more equipment;

Like to play in the Water.

What could we do with the old equipment then ? Lots of safety issues, but could paint it again,

clean it up or throw it out; Add sand or wood chip.

Would like the spungy soft fall under all the new equipment, like under the gym equipment.

Very happy that a skatepark is going to be built soon at Sth Golden Beach. Waited a long time.

Would like more swings; Water feature (like a statue on ground that squirts); Toddler area; Spinner

(running wheel/turn table); Mouse wheel; Multi-Level Tree House; Slippery Slides with Tunnels;

Spider Web Equipment; Climbing Nets and Ropes; Cubby House, Soccer Goals.

Would like more Seats around Park; Picnic Tables; Shelters; Track around Park; Public Toilets; Bike

Racks; Bins; Cycleways with added Road Safety Awareness; Dog Bag Dispencer; More car spaces;

Dirt Track with Jumps; Bridge across Lake; Mature Shade Trees to get out of the sun and rain; Fence

around Playground; Footpaths; Bubblers and dog bubblers.

What do we need to build this new playscape ? Lots of money for equipment; Friendly

Environment; Materials; Cycleways; Have to pay people to build it.

What if we had a small amount of money ? Use timber instead of steel (make sure wood

doesn’t rot); Reuse and recycle; Reuse slippery dip, repaint it, add more to it or relocate it.

What are we talking about when we’re being ‘realistic’ ? Safety issues; Location of

Equipment; Safe Places; Making Towers Safe; Safe Areas to Test Yourself.

What are we talking about when there is Flooding Issues ? Knee high water; timber might

rot and be unstable, be careful with location of equipment; make sure we’re not too close to houses

incase it’s noisy; mowing needs to be done more often; need good visibility for parents; picnic tables

could be close to the lake, but not play equipment.

Awesome Things – Love obstacle courses and rope climbing; Water Play; Climbing Trees and Tree

Houses; More fitness equipment; Festivals or Fun Days with fairy floss, jumping castles, maybe discos



improve on, and stuck them on Cass’s large photos. Orit took photos of the results.

Draw or Write about your favourite things to do. All papers collected by Cass for further

review later. Finished at 11am.


THE POCKET PRIMARY SCHOOL

In Attendance: 14 x Year 4 - 6 students.

Designing of Playground: What do you notice on the Aerial View of Waterlily Park ?

The Lake; Tennis Courts; Their House; Exercise Equipment, Nanna’s Street; Playground Equipment.

What could we do with the old equipment then ? Could reuse it or clean and paint it again;

Need more swings for bigger kids.

Very happy that a skatepark is going to be built soon at Sth Golden Beach.

Would like Monkey Bars; Sandpit; More Swings; Water Slides; Basket Swings; Fireman’s Pole;

Spinner (running wheel/turn table); Multi-Level Tree House; See-Saw; Slide Park with Tunnels;

Slide into Lake; Spider Web Equipment; Cubby House; Ropes; Soccer Goals; Bigger Playground;

Waterpark; Water Pumps.

Would like Picnic Tables; Shelters; Track around Park; Public Toilets; Cycleways and footpaths;

More car spaces; Large Shade Trees to get out of the sun and rain; More Lights; Bubblers.

What do we need to build this new playscape ? Lots of money for equipment; Materials;

Cycleways; Pay Tradesmen to build it; Need to do Fundraiser.

What if we had a small amount of money ? Use timber and metal recycled things, like hub caps

for steering wheel on a ship (make sure wood doesn’t rot); Reuse and recycle; Use Cardboard or

plastic; Repaint Slippery Dip, and add things to it; Things to use imagination; Do it bit by bit.

What are we talking about when there is Flooding Issues ? Make sure timber doesn’t rot;

Lots of water; be careful with location of equipment; make sure equipment is cleaned properly;

Smaller wood might float away; Need to mow more often; Need good visibility for parents.

Awesome Things – Love rope climbing; Water Play; Climbing Trees and Tree Houses; More fitness

equipment; Fundraising to get more equipment.



improve on, and stuck them on Cass’s large photos. Orit took photos of the results.

Draw or Write about your favourite things to do. All papers collected by Cass for further

review later.

Finished at 1pm.

Documents

Waterlily Playscape Committee Waterlily Playscape ...€¦ · Waterlily Playscape Committee Waterlily Playscape, Waterlily Park, Ocean Shores Community Consultation Report G16-0004