Keilor Primary School students presented their ideas for the playscape to the minister, designers and park rangers. 78442 Picture: LAURA WAKELY
By LAURA WAKELY
BRIMBANK children received a $1 million gift from the Baillieu Government last week.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith announced a playscape would be built at Brimbank Park, providing a free, innovative and enriching play area.
“It’s important to get kids outside,” Mr Smith said.
“It stimulates their imagination, it gives them opportunities to play together and makes them have a good look around at nature.
“I think that’s really important.”
Parks Victoria chief executive Bill Jackson said Parks Victoria had been working hard over the past few years to make parks more accessible to people with disabilities.
Mr Jackson said he was pleased the playscape would be accessible for children of all abilities, including children in wheelchairs.
Playscape designers Ric McConaghy and Angelo Carrafa said the plans would include the traditional playground equipment including swings and slides.
But they said the design would also incorporate local history, art and be an interactive place that children of all ages and abilities could use.
Students from Keilor Primary School and Sunshine Special School attended the announcement last Tuesday, sharing their ideas for the playscape with the two designers.
Mr Smith invited the community to contribute to the plans through the Parks Victoria website.
The project is being funded by the Baillieu Government in partnership with children’s charity Variety and the People and Parks Foundation.
Construction of the playscape will begin in 2013.
For more information contact Parks Victoria on 13 1963 or www.parks.vic.gov.au
