Stage Two Engagement Compiled

Thank you to all those who commented on the concept plan for a new playspace at Dick Lawrence Oval. The engagement findings have been compiled and are ready to view in the document library.

What we heard

There were 343 visits to the My Say Freo page and 9 people provided a submission. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive with almost everyone expressing support for the upgrades and/or gratitude for the renewal.

Some people wanted to see a path all the way around the oval, or to the oval. This is outside the scope of the renewal, however the small path within the playspace will be modified slightly to accommodate a short round trip on a scooter. These comments will also be considered in the Hilton Reserve masterplanning process which will take place in the coming years and look at connectivity around the entire Hilton Sports Park precinct.

A number of respondents also requested water play. The infrastructure to support this type of play is costly and would require the sacrifice of many other play items, so it's only considered if there's a huge demand. In stage one we heard that nature play and climbing were the most popular types of play for this site, so those have been prioritised.

Seating was also raised. While outside the scope of the playspace renewal, provision for new bench seats with backs and arms has been made in the 2021/22 budget and is expected to be installed after the playspace is complete.

For more details about what we heard and how the comments were considered, view the engagement findings here.

Next steps

Based on the feedback, the small path within the playspace will be modified, and no other major adjustments are required. Other minor adjustments may occur throughout the procurement and construction phases.

Federal funding has been obtained for this project and is anticipated to be finalised by Council in March 2021. The detailed design documents will now be completed and play space construction is anticipated to begin in June/July 2021.

Any further updates will be available on this page. Thank you again for your contribution to this project.