Penders Park Master Plan
Darebin Council has worked extensively with the community, including a Project Control Group (PCG) made up of local residents, to design and develop the Penders Park Master Plan.
The master plan communicates proposed improvements to the park as part of a greater vision that is inclusive, sustainable and welcoming.
At its Council Meeting on Wednesday 6 November 2019, Council adopted the Penders Park Master Plan, following community consultation.
Click on the image below to view the adopted Penders Park Master Plan
Check out the Document Library for other background information associated with the master plan.
All Abilities Playspace - Stage One
Delivery of an all abilities playspace is one of the priority actions identified in the Penders Park Master Plan. The playspace contains many custom pieces of play equipment and will be delivered in two stages, over multiple years.
Click on the image below to view the final design for stage one of the playspace.
What has happened recently?
Works on the all abilities playspace in the south-east corner of the park began in January 2020, but during this time Council received feedback from some members of the community that the Callistemon trees and garden bed vegetation in this location were important and should be retained. Whilst the master plan proposed hundreds of new native trees, shrubs and plants, community members told us that the particular trees and shrubs in this garden bed held a special meaning to them.
Council paused works to reconsider how to deliver the same play equipment in the same time frame, whilst keeping the trees and shrubs, to ensure this project is well loved by all in the community.
Click on the image below to view the previous 2019 design.
During February, Council undertook further biodiversity and tree assessments and held a community working session to seek community input on a range of new design scenarios for the garden bed in the park’s south-east corner.
Designers used feedback from the community working session to develop a final design for the garden bed, which balances the needs of all who love and use Penders Park. This design delivers a universal and accessible play outcome that also retains the valued vegetation and habitat on site.
Click on the image below to view the final design for the garden bed.
Below is a summary of the community feedback and how Council has responded to this the feedback received in the final design for stage one of the playspace.
| What we heard from the community: | What we've done as part of the final design: |
- The strength of feeling about the Callistemon trees and garden bed vegetation.
- The importance of sight lines and visibility across all play areas.
- The human connection to the bird life and fauna that visit the garden bed vegetation.
- Support for retaining the blue stone edging and shape of the garden bed.
- Ensuring all the play equipment that was originally proposed is still delivered.
- Preserving the vision, play value and design integrity of the all abilities playspace.
| - Retained three of four Callistemon trees and much more of the dense, multilayered vegetation - one tree must be removed for safety reason
- Maintained sight lines and visibility across play areas.
- Reduced the pathway through the garden bed to protect trees and habitat.
- Preserved the garden bed shape by retaining the blue stone garden bed edging, except for one small opening.
- Incorporated every play element from the original design.
- Preserved the vision, play value and design integrity.
|
Next steps for construction of the playspace:
At Council we are, like communities around the country and the world, taking measures to promote good health and limit the impacts of the Coronavirus in our community. The safety of our community and staff is our top priority and we are following the up-to-date advice of the lead authorities.
Where possible, and where it is safe and appropriate to do so, we are continuing with project delivery to safeguard jobs and meet community needs.
Council anticipate that works for the first stage of the new playspace will recommence at the beginning of April 2020. We anticipate this will take approximately 12-14 weeks to complete, weather and circumstances permitting.
Darebin City Council and our contractors continue to follow Coronavirus related government advice, including all relevant restrictions and health guidelines. We are conscious that the situation is very fluid and timeframes for delivery of this playspace may be impacted by further changes to government health advice.
This playspace might not be available for community use immediately following its completion, as this is subject to government health advice and future restrictions on the use of public space and public gatherings. Everyone will be able to enjoy the great new playspace once it is safe to do so.
Future implementation of the Penders Parks Master Plan (including stage two of the all abilities playspace) will be considered by Council as part of its annual budget process.
Project links:
Penders Park Master Plan
Darebin Council has worked extensively with the community, including a Project Control Group (PCG) made up of local residents, to design and develop the Penders Park Master Plan.
The master plan communicates proposed improvements to the park as part of a greater vision that is inclusive, sustainable and welcoming.
At its Council Meeting on Wednesday 6 November 2019, Council adopted the Penders Park Master Plan, following community consultation.
Click on the image below to view the adopted Penders Park Master Plan
Check out the Document Library for other background information associated with the master plan.
All Abilities Playspace - Stage One
Delivery of an all abilities playspace is one of the priority actions identified in the Penders Park Master Plan. The playspace contains many custom pieces of play equipment and will be delivered in two stages, over multiple years.
Click on the image below to view the final design for stage one of the playspace.
What has happened recently?
Works on the all abilities playspace in the south-east corner of the park began in January 2020, but during this time Council received feedback from some members of the community that the Callistemon trees and garden bed vegetation in this location were important and should be retained. Whilst the master plan proposed hundreds of new native trees, shrubs and plants, community members told us that the particular trees and shrubs in this garden bed held a special meaning to them.
Council paused works to reconsider how to deliver the same play equipment in the same time frame, whilst keeping the trees and shrubs, to ensure this project is well loved by all in the community.
Click on the image below to view the previous 2019 design.
During February, Council undertook further biodiversity and tree assessments and held a community working session to seek community input on a range of new design scenarios for the garden bed in the park’s south-east corner.
Designers used feedback from the community working session to develop a final design for the garden bed, which balances the needs of all who love and use Penders Park. This design delivers a universal and accessible play outcome that also retains the valued vegetation and habitat on site.
Click on the image below to view the final design for the garden bed.
Below is a summary of the community feedback and how Council has responded to this the feedback received in the final design for stage one of the playspace.
| What we heard from the community: | What we've done as part of the final design: |
- The strength of feeling about the Callistemon trees and garden bed vegetation.
- The importance of sight lines and visibility across all play areas.
- The human connection to the bird life and fauna that visit the garden bed vegetation.
- Support for retaining the blue stone edging and shape of the garden bed.
- Ensuring all the play equipment that was originally proposed is still delivered.
- Preserving the vision, play value and design integrity of the all abilities playspace.
| - Retained three of four Callistemon trees and much more of the dense, multilayered vegetation - one tree must be removed for safety reason
- Maintained sight lines and visibility across play areas.
- Reduced the pathway through the garden bed to protect trees and habitat.
- Preserved the garden bed shape by retaining the blue stone garden bed edging, except for one small opening.
- Incorporated every play element from the original design.
- Preserved the vision, play value and design integrity.
|
Next steps for construction of the playspace:
At Council we are, like communities around the country and the world, taking measures to promote good health and limit the impacts of the Coronavirus in our community. The safety of our community and staff is our top priority and we are following the up-to-date advice of the lead authorities.
Where possible, and where it is safe and appropriate to do so, we are continuing with project delivery to safeguard jobs and meet community needs.
Council anticipate that works for the first stage of the new playspace will recommence at the beginning of April 2020. We anticipate this will take approximately 12-14 weeks to complete, weather and circumstances permitting.
Darebin City Council and our contractors continue to follow Coronavirus related government advice, including all relevant restrictions and health guidelines. We are conscious that the situation is very fluid and timeframes for delivery of this playspace may be impacted by further changes to government health advice.
This playspace might not be available for community use immediately following its completion, as this is subject to government health advice and future restrictions on the use of public space and public gatherings. Everyone will be able to enjoy the great new playspace once it is safe to do so.
Future implementation of the Penders Parks Master Plan (including stage two of the all abilities playspace) will be considered by Council as part of its annual budget process.
Project links:
Penders Park Master Plan (27.5 MB) (pdf)
Penders Park Callistemon FAQS (18.6 KB) (docx)
