All go for all abilities play space

Published on 05 June 2020

A proposal to develop a $520,000 play space for people of all ages and abilities at Koondrook will be fulfilled after Gannawarra Shire Council secured significant funding support from Regional Development Victoria.

Gannawarra Shire Council has received notification of its grant application success from the Regional Infrastructure Fund for the Koondrook All Abilities Play Space and will receive $390,000 funding towards this worthy community project.

To be constructed on the site of the former Koondrook Memorial Hall, this project will be completed in the 2020/2021 financial year, with Council contributing $130,000 to the play space.

“Council is delighted to be supporting this project, which will lead to the construction of the first all abilities play space within the Gannawarra,” Council Chief Executive Officer, Tom O’Reilly said.

“The need to incorporate All Abilities Access and design principles for play space upgrades, as well as pursuing grant opportunities for infrastructure upgrades for All Abilities Access, were two of the priorities identified in Council’s Social Inclusion Strategy 2019-2023, adopted by Council in early 2019.”

Consultation regarding the project with Koondrook-based community organisations, schoolchildren and other residents began last year, with the project identified as a high priority in Council’s Sport and Recreation Strategy, adopted by Council in May 2019.  Feedback received through the consultation process has guided the features within the play space design.

“All abilities play spaces, such as the ones located adjacent to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne and other metropolitan and regional centres, are popular facilities for residents and visitors to these areas,” Mr O’Reilly said.

The Koondrook All Abilities Play Space will be the first of three similar venues to be constructed in the Gannawarra in the first half of this decade.

“Council is also excited to announce that following our recent success in securing $1.7 million in State Government funding towards the Cohuna CBD and Waterfront Redevelopment, an All Abilities Play Space will be built within the Cohuna township, and Council will also pursue funding for an All Abilities Play Space at Atkinson Park in Kerang,” Mr O’Reilly said.

“Council looks forward to working with the Cohuna and Kerang communities during the planning process for these new venues.”

The development of the Koondrook All Abilities Play Space forms part of Council’s $15.297 million Capital Works program outlined in the 2020/2021 Proposed Budget.