By Henry Belot
Narrabundah residents are outraged by the ACT government's surprise decision to remove an ageing playground with its potential redevelopment subject to "future budgets".
The secluded Rocky Knob playground may not have swings and roundabouts but has proved a popular meeting spot for many Narrabundah families.
Sisters Olivia, 8, left, and Sophia Baker, 6, of Narrabundah, are making the most of the Rocky Knob playground before it shuts down.Credit: Jamila Toderas
Gillian King, a Narrabundah resident who uses the playground, was shocked when she read a public notice at the park this week. She wrote to Minister for Territory and Municipal Services Shane Rattenbury demanding an explanation.
"It is outrageous for this decision to have been taken without any consultation with the community," she said.
"If the playground is removed, it will be another blow to the local community after the recent removal of its bus service."
According to the TAMS 2013/14 annual report, there are 490 playgrounds in the ACT and nearly 90 per cent of Canberrans were satisfied with the maintenance of play equipment.
The department spent close to $1 million on designs and upgrading 13 playgrounds during 2013/14, which was an increase on the $866,000 spent a year earlier.
Despite these investments, Ms King doubted playground equipment would be upgraded or replaced given the language of the public notice.
"This playground has been identified as being at the end of its useful life and removal is scheduled by 27/2/2015," the notice said.
"A decision on the future upgrade of this playground will be undertaken in consultation with the community in line with future budgets."
Ms King said the wording of the sign was nonsensical and sounded as if the government was planning to "rip out the playground and that's it. Stuff the community."
"If a notice says it is going to be removed and a decision about future upgrading will be made in consultation with the community and subject to future budgets, then that sounds to me like it won't be replaced."
A TAMS spokesman said an independent safety inspection found the playground posed an unacceptable safety risk.
"Due to the age of the equipment and its number of potential hazards, particularly things like finger entrapment, it was not deemed practical to refurbish," he said.
"Any decision to replace the play equipment will be undertaken once funding is available and in the context of a strategic program which would look at where other play equipment is located to ensure new equipment is placed in the best location."
But another Narrabundah mother said the playground equipment at Rocky Knob was in good condition and should not be removed or replaced with more aesthetically pleasing designs.
"The ACT government is trying to promote active lifestyles through a number of campaigns and this would seem to fly in the face of that," she said.
The notice apologised for any inconvenience and explained the nearest playground was a 700-metre walk away across Carnegie Crescent.
"Carnegie Crescent is difficult to cross, particularly for children, because it is hilly and busy with fast-travelling cars," Ms King said.
"And neither of those playgrounds have the equipment that is available and suitable for non-toddlers that the Rocky Knob playground has."