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About the Play Strategy

Overview

Play is an essential part of every child's life and is vital for the enjoyment of childhood as well as social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development.

When children are asked about what they think is important in their lives, playing and friends are usually at the top of their list. It is one of the reasons the provision of quality play spaces is important.

Recognising also our growing population and the need to manage our open space and recreation areas carefully, we're developing a new Play Strategy to consider how Council-owned infrastructure can support every child's right to play.

This will include how play spaces will be identified, developed, upgraded, and managed. We're not just talking about playgrounds, but also parks, sports facilities, and things like skate parks, half basketball/netball courts, street play, and outdoor fitness equipment.

There are currently 72 Council-owned public 'play spaces' across the municipality but play occurs well beyond those spaces. This includes a mix of larger regional parks, municipal, neighbourhood, and smaller local play spaces.

We want to understand from our community, including our youngest members, what is working well and what is not – what are the spaces you love, which spaces could do with some TLC, and what we need to consider for the future.

From engagement on the development of the Passport to Play resource, we already know some of the elements important to children, parents, and caregivers include opportunity to:

  • jump, run, swing, spin, bounce, imagine and explore
  • play hide and seek, tag, jump rope
  • kick or throw a ball, wrestle, dance on a stage
  • play on swings and slides, enjoy a treasure hunt, and enjoy nature play
  • find quiet places to read

Your feedback, along with a review of existing spaces and an understanding of trends in play, will help inform the development of a draft Play Strategy, which we will share back with you for further comment in early 2025.

What will and won't be considered in a new Play Strategy

    • Existing playgrounds and play spaces
    • Skate parks
    • Basketball and netball courts
    • Outdoor fitness equipment
    • Streets and walkways
    • Learnings from the development of the Passport to Play resource
    • Specialist and technical advice and guidance

    • Formal activity and use of sports grounds and open space
    • Playground audits
    • Risk assessments
    • Detailed site and site-specific recommendations
    • Capital works program

How to be involved

We want to understand what is working well and what is not – what are the spaces you love, which spaces could do with some improvements, and what we need to consider for the future.

Share your ideas on the ideas board, interactive map or survey via the tabs below.

What makes a great play space?

Nobody knows what makes a great play space better than you, so we want to hear what you love best. Share your ideas and stories, or get the kids to draw their ultimate play space! You can download a drawing sheet from the document library or pick one up at one of our libraries or community centres.

47 contributions
Closed
Activity closed 15/09/2024 at 11:59 PM

Playspaces in Yarraville

Posted by Monique |

In Yarraville where parks like Fels and Beaton work hard for the community I think there is a valid need to consider play equipment for a variety of ages to support play for all ages within a family. Playspaces could be more inclusive. Disabilities are wide, varied and unique to the individual and at the end of the day kids just want to play like their peers. Equipment doesn't need to all be wheel chair accessible, just cleverly considered. Complimentary supporting infrastructure should…

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Adventure play and danger play

Posted by EJ |

Kids need to test their limits - we can facilitate this need proactively and show that kids of all ages are welcome in our community or they will find ways to do it in ways that are more dangerous and antisocial. There are great case studies - please explore The Venny (Kensington) https://thevenny.org.au/ - their motto is "better a broken bone than a broken spirit". Also investigate boulder play - https://www.mammaknowsmelbourne.com.au/playgrounds/boulder-risk-play-park-southbank &…

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Toilets! Shade and variety

Posted by Kim |

We have some great parks in Maribyrnong but as others have said the lack of toilets really limits how long you can stay and is very difficult with young children. Many playgrounds have little shade, especially the new Hansen playground. Toddler swings should all be the enclosed ones not the ones with metal chains. McDougall reserve playground in Banbury village needs an upgrade - very limited facilities and it is a really well utilised park. The ground matting needs replacing, it comes off…

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Run away toddlers

Posted by Blake |

Being a parent and spending a lot of time at playgrounds, nothing stops our hearts more and raise a chorus of yells than a toddler making a run to park exit or through a fence that doesn't really exist. Parks should have better toddler proof fences near the play equipment and or gates installed if entrances are close to play equipment. Fels Park in Yarraville is a good example of a park full of toddlers and streets either side with the barriers only good enough to slow parents down but not the…

1 Likes 1 Comments