The Flinders Place Play Area is due for an upgrade. Three proposed design options were put forward for community consultation in February and March 2025.

Thank you for your patience as we've worked towards a final design for the Flinders Place play area, based on the predominant themes that came through public consultation. Option 2, was the favourite between the two designs presented.

We had a good number of submitters at 187:

7 submissions or 4% supporting option 1

159 submissions or 85% supported option 2

21 submissions did not register a preferred design. Of that number, some had no clear preference, some preferred a combination of the designs, or some did not support the renewal or the timing of the upgrade (9 submissions or 5%).

We have tried to accommodate additional requests where we can, these include:

• There were residual concerns by 10 submitters about the shared space with the dog exercise area (DEA). Therefore, we are fencing from the entrance on Flinders Place, all the way to the fenced playground. This fence will be 1.5m high from ground level on the DEA side and have 2 pedestrian gates to ensure dogs do not get into the play area.
• Adding a picnic table.
• Adding some push-up bars for those wanting to exercise here.
• Adding amenity planting to the plan.
• Adjusting the ramp up to and the position of the second gate, to facilitate entry for those users with mobility impairments.
• Adding a new rubbish bin by the entrance.
• Changing out the style of swing seat to a rigid rather than a belt type.
• Adding further drainage to capture water coming down the bank towards the play area. This is also why the playground is built up from ground level.

There were some requests that we were not able to accommodate, largely to do with budget constraints, the layout of the site, and what we would expect for this category of play area (neighbourhood).

Examples include:

• Adding a shade structure. There were 9 submitters asking for this and 6 submitters saying the site was too shaded already. We will therefore look to add some deciduous trees in proximity to the playground.
• Adding a splashpad.
• Adding a flying fox.
• Adding a toilet.
• Adding lighting.
• Changing sides for the play area. We have stayed on the western side to be further away from the direct neighbours, for the sake of privacy and noise.

We are planning to begin on 18 August and anticipate that the playground will be open towards the end of September or early October, weather dependent.

There were gaps identified in the provision of play areas, as part of the 2017 Playspaces Policy. Targeted areas were identified, to try to plug significant gaps with upgraded (meaning new) play areas, of which Johnsonville West is one. A number of these sites were delivered prior to this point, with the remaining three new play areas still to be delivered. These were deferred by the Councillors in 2021, and the allotted year and associated budgets were then pushed out. The first of these was to be the Johnsonville West site, assigned to 2024/25.

With the assistance of a member of the Johnsonville Community Association, available land for this site was scoped in 2022. It was determined that the best option, for space and location to minimise the gap, was at Flinders Place. As this was currently used as a dog exercise area, it was then included in the Dog Policy Review of 2023 to be a shared space with a separate fenced play area within. From feedback, this proposal was largely supported.

Two concept designs were then created, positioned to be further away from adjoining residences.