The City of Greater Geelong is inviting the community to provide feedback on the detailed design of the Rippleside Inclusive Playspace.
Replacing the current Rippleside Park Playground in Bell Parade, the Rippleside Inclusive Playspace will provide a unique playground environment for people of all ages and abilities, the City said.
Extensive consultation through 2019 and 2020 pointed to the importance of natural green space, shade, multi-aged experiences, toilet location, cleanliness and nature play as priorities for the project.
The City has also engaged a broad range of community members in the concept design including children and families with lived experience of a disability, along with local school children and residents.
The major playground project has received financial support from all levels of government.
The City was also successful in obtaining a $110,000 grant through the Victorian government’s Changing Places Funding Round in 2021.
The City has partnered with the Touched By Olivia Foundation (and previously Variety – the Children’s Charity) to deliver this exciting project and will join a network of play spaces known as Livvi’s Place.
The playspace aims to provide a safe facility, while offering a broad choice of activities and types of play.
Cr Anthony Aitken, chair of the Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee said the concept and design elements of this regionally significant project had been driven by council’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee and strongly supported by members of our disability community.
The project will include the upgrade of park amenities such as the toilet block (including a Changing Places facility), connecting path to the Bay Trail, accessible car parking spaces, additional seating and picnic facilities on the outside of the fenced playspace.
Touched By Olivia’s Head of Inclusive Play Kim Becherand said that children, families and broader community voices led the design of the space.
“Rippleside is such a beautiful part of Geelong, known and loved by many locals,” Ms Becherand said.
“When we shared the vision to create a Livvi’s Place here where everyone would feel safe, welcome and that they belong, the engagement and support was overwhelming.
“Engagement told us to make Livvi’s Place Rippleside, somewhere for all locals and visitors to enjoy together; where everyone will play often, play together, make friends and develop community connections.”
The current stage of engagement is the third and final round of engagement before the City proceeds to construction.
A Have Your Say Page (yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/RSIPS) is open, inviting input from the wider community until Sunday July 17.
