Is it an art installation? Some prison yard exercise equipment? Or, perhaps, a multimillion dollar playground upgrade?
To some disappointed parents in inner-city Melbourne, it appears to be all three.
New play equipment installed as part of an upgrade to Cambridge Street Reserve in Collingwood has attracted fierce criticism from locals who believe it isn’t suitable for children.
The new playground, installed by Yarra council, amounts to a minimalist “nest” swing and some metal bars. There are no bright colours as were on the old but now-demolished climbing structure which had slides and separate swings.
A petition has been launched by locals who claim the new playground isn’t fit for purpose and is a downgrade on the previous equipment.
Gaynor Taylor, a local grandmother and one of the residents behind the petition, said the new playground “looks like a prison yard”.
“I was just gobsmacked when I saw it. There’s one, hammock-style swing, and my three-year-old grandson doesn’t even want to go there. It’s not the sort of play equipment where children can play by themselves.”
The petition had attracted over 700 signatures with residents saying the new playground was a deep disappointment for local families.
“My inner-city kids don’t have a yard and need decent local parks – what is this monstrosity? Were any child play experts consulted?” one petitioner said.
Another commented: “To take away something that was valued and used by so many, only to replace it with this, is an insult to the surrounding community. Your team needs to look at the research on the health and social benefits of play for children.”
A Yarra council spokesperson said the council felt it had listened to community requests for more open space – but they did not respond to specific criticisms of the playground.
“After consulting with the local community about creating a new pocket park in Collingwood the vast majority told us they wanted more green open space where they could relax,” the spokesperson said.
“Council has responded to the needs of the community by building a new park that is double its original size.”
In a statement celebrating the refurbishment of the park, the Yarra mayor, Claudia Nguyen, said the community was consulted.
“We asked the community what they wanted and we made sure their feedback led the design process,” she said earlier this week.
“This park is inclusive and accessible, play is integrated into the design of the park, we’ve included a swing, some bike infrastructure and even a dog bowl for our furry friends”.
During the consultation period, the council stated: “You told us you want to see traditional play equipment in the park, so we’ve included some in the final design.”
But the founder of Yarra Residents Collective, Adam Promnitz, suggested the new playground was a dud.
“They’ve completely messed this up. How hard is it to provide a truly inclusive space?” he said.
“The council claims that they’re inclusive, yet this is the least inclusive, open space facility with a playground that you’ll ever come across.”
Promnitz said the local community was “incredulous” the council thought it was a success.
“As a kid, if I ever went to a playground, I would have wanted to climb on something or at least have a slide. A single swing, and a couple of metal bars, are zero entertainment. It just doesn’t look like somewhere fun for kids to play.”
