New fully accessible family-friendly amenities will be officially opened today at one of Mosman’s most popular playgrounds.
Young families have been flocking to Memory Park’s play area, which caters for toddlers to 12 year olds, since it received a major upgrade in 2018 to include a range of modern equipment.
“Council has been steadily improving our facilities at Memory Park which is one of our busiest and most exciting playgrounds, with the installation of a large tower space, toddler space and swings four years ago, and a community Discovery Garden and new fencing added two years later,” Mosman Mayor Carolyn Corrigan said.
“We consulted with the community at every step of the way and community feedback told us that the growing number of visitors also wanted accessible amenities to be located nearby so it’s wonderful that Council has been able to provide the full scope of facilities for this much-loved popular playground.”
“The recent lockdowns showed how much our communities love our outdoor spaces and Memory Park is one of our favourite places,” Member for Warringah Zali Steggall OAM MP said.
“It’s terrific that families can now fully enjoy this space, knowing there are accessible family-friendly amenities on site – this is exactly what Australian Government community grant money should be going towards.”
The amenities block features a unisex ambulant toilet and an accessible toilet with baby change facility, plus wash trough, and incorporates energy-efficiency measures such as natural ventilation and natural light through clear roofing.
The project, which involved civil, structural, electrical and hydraulic services, building and landscape works, took longer than expected to complete due to COVID-related restrictions, unprecedented weather conditions and site issues.
Landscaping works were carried out in the area surrounding the amenities, incorporating a number of native plant species, including vines, shrubs and ground cover varieties. In a forthcoming final stage in the upgrade of Memory Park playground, grass will be renewed behind the playground.
Council contractor RELD Group carried out the works, with consultancy services provided by Mode Design, JHA Consulting Engineers, Dunnings Consulting Engineers, Enspire Solutions, Funktion and JK Geotechnics.
The Memory Park amenities works follow the completion of accessible toilets near Mosman Junction in 2020 and are among the practical steps that Council continues to take to make Mosman a more inclusive community for people with disability and as part of its ongoing commitment to its Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
The $412,000 project was jointly funded by the Australian Government and Mosman Council. Australian Government funding of $250,000 was provided through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program. This program supports local councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia, supporting jobs and the resilience of local economies to help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
