Council kicks off with $50,000 for Design & Consult Process
For the past three years a small group of KV residents have been consistently writing to and meeting with Shoalhaven City Council staff, Ward 1 Councillors, SCC Mayor and local MPs regarding the provision of a new and inclusive nature playground for KV children of all ages. The group, which is now the KVCCB Playground Working Group, consists of Nicole Schwegler, Kate Hole, Michael Quirk, Tracey Cappie-Wood, Brenda Sambrook and Andrew Cappie-Wood (Chair).
The little playground in Osborne Park does not meet the physical and social needs of young people who require a large area in which to run, play, climb, socialise, imagine and create.
Council agreed some time ago to earmark the land it owns between the tennis courts and Moss Vale Road for a new KV playground. The necessary infrastructure already exists, with both parking and toilets close by.
The first stage that needed to happen was funding to be allocated for an initial design to be followed by Council-led consultation with the KV community about that design. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Not so.
Earlier this year the KVCCB Playground Working Group was advised that Council had allocated $50,000 via a Budget Review for this Stage 1 work to occur. That funding process caused issues within Council which have now fortunately been resolved.
I received an email last week from Councillor John Wells who has been a great supporter of the playground, as have all Ward 1 Councillors. Councillor Wells advised the $50,000 Stage 1 Design & Consultation funding had been both approved and allocated as of Tuesday 15 November 2023. This is wonderful news! Once we have an agreed design we can collaborate with Council to seek grant funding for such a much-needed community facility.
The KVCCB Playground Working Group will continue to liaise with Council during this work and will advise you when the draft design is ready for community consultation. We expect it to undergo many changes as we work to create this community playground together. We look forward to your input, your children’s input and your grandchildren’s input!
Andrew Cappie-Wood