Two new playgrounds ready for fun times

There is plenty of fun in store for families who stop by at two popular suburban parks in Wagga Wagga, with the installation of new playgrounds now complete.

Kids will be able to climb, slide or swing on the shiny new equipment at the Belling Park playground, near the Duke of Kent Oval, and at the Best Family Graves Park off Truscott Drive in Ashmont.

The two projects, costing $100,000 in total, are part of Wagga Wagga City Council’s 2016 Playground Strategy, which sees a select number of playgrounds replaced or refurbished each year.

Works and Playground Officer John Conlan says the Belling Park playground transformation has been huge.

“Before, it was just a little deck, a slide, a swing and a couple of climbing pieces and I think the original equipment was second-hand, moved here from a childcare centre,” Mr Conlan said.

“Now the playground is much bigger, the equipment is new and there are more features, so there are plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained.

“This is a popular park because it’s fairly central, and I think the families and residents who use the park are really pleased with what’s here now.”

Residents in the Best Family Graves Park area can also enjoy their new playground, with its fresh equipment and design modelled to encourage play between younger and older children.

Both playground replacement projects were completed in March this year. Unfortunately, they were closed a week later, due to the COVID-19 lockdown, recently reopening to the community as NSW Government restrictions eased.

Mr Conlan says it feels good to have delivered these projects.

“There’s a sense of achievement, a sense that you’ve done something good for the community. It’s good when you can transform a place,” Mr Conlan said.

Council is embarking on playground replacement projects at Henwood Park in Kooringal and on Kimberley Drive in Tatton, as well as the refurbishment of a Kaldari Crescent playground in Glenfield.

Community consultation is expected to start in mid-August on design options for the Henwood Park playground, a $100,000 project.