Families and visitors in Healesville can now enjoy a new, upgraded playspace in Queens Park.
The playspace features new playground equipment, landscaping works of the surrounding area to create formal and informal seating and paths to connect the playspace to the surrounding park.
Ryrie Ward Councillor, Fiona McAllister, said the new playspace had equipment and areas for families and people of all ages.
"I'm excited that the works have been finished and our children can now enjoy this brand new, fully upgraded playspace here in Queens Park," she said.
"The playspace has equipment for younger and older children, including swings, double flying foxes, a sandpit, nature play area, balancing logs and an accessible spinner, along with picnic tables for families, a drinking fountain and an accessible path, so there's plenty there for everyone.
"Now this work is done, children can ride their bikes and scooters at the Roll Play bike park to learn traffic skills on a specially-made track, have a picnic with their family and play for hours all in the one park, a short walk from the main shopping areas in town."
Cr McAllister said the playspace was designed in using feedback from Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association (HICSA), community members, school children and local Elder Brooke Wandin.
"Playgrounds are such an important part of any town, whether you're one of the children using it, a parent, grandparent, a carer, or just someone who uses the park to walk through on the weekends. They're a great meeting space for all of the community," she said.
Councillor Jim Child, Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes MP, Mayor Tony Stevenson and Councillor Fiona McAllister with Queens Park Kindergarten students at the new playspace.
"We wanted the project to reflect that sense of belonging for the community, along with the area's Indigenous heritage and its place in the environment, sitting in parkland between the Grace Burn and Wirrup Yaluk creeks.
"Throughout this project, we've had a really great level of awareness and engagement from the community, and it's resulted in a really marvellous playspace being created for them.
"The equipment, activities, artwork and play sculptures throughout the playspace, are a direct result of our collaboration with community groups, residents and children.
"We hope that visitors and residents alike will come to see this as a place they belong in."
This project aligns with several goals in Council's Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2017-21, from encouraging walking through our towns, providing safe and sustainable built environments for our residents and, of course, encouraging people of all ages to be physically active.
The Victorian Government's Growing Suburbs Fund provided $500,000 for the playspace's construction, which was matched by Council.
Louie and Hannah smile for the cameras before presenting the plaque at the playspace opening.
