AusLeisure

A newly opened inclusive play space located at Parramatta Park’s The Gardens Precinct in Western Sydney is being seen as benchmark for the Everyone Can Play initiative.

The $1.8 million regional-size playground at Ollie Webb Reserve in Parramatta, which received $300,000 of funding from the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund, promises to provide a place for children of all ages and abilities to enjoy year round.

At the opening event at the end of last month, City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Andrew Wilson said he was delighted to see the unique playground become a reality, commenting “Parramatta has terrific parks, and it is very pleasing to see we are opening them up to more children.”

The playground features a large variety of activities and equipment, including wide embankment slides, accessible carousel and sand pit, water play elements, and a supportive swing.

The playground design follows universal design principles that allow for the real integration of abled and disabled children in play areas. The City of Parramatta’s fundamental design requirements included the provision of an Active Play Space, Sensory Space, Quiet Space, Individual Play and Musical Play. This project also features the first Proludic Kanope tower structure (pictured above) in Australia which offers fun and challenging climbing and sliding activities for children aged four years and up.

The all-inclusive playground features the third water play park in the Parramatta local government area (along with James Ruse Reserve in Harris Park and Philip Ruddock Water Playground in Dundas Valley).

Touched by Olivia, the charity that works with government and other organisations to create inclusive play spaces, were consulted throughout the design process.

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