Griffiths Park Upgrade

Consultation has concluded

We're planning an upgrade of Griffiths Park to make sure it meets the needs of all users. It will include a play space renewal, conversion of the sump to an open swale integrated into the park and irrigation / hydrozoning.

The project is grant funded which means it needs to be delivered within a set timeframe. We aimed to get as much community input as possible early in the process so it can incorporated it into a concept design.

What we heard

Through other recent engagements we've gathered some input about what you value about Griffiths Park and how it could better suit your needs. In stage one engagement we heard from 50 participants online, 60 people attended the drop-in and we worked with 19 local students.

Broad support for converting the sump to an integrated swale with a focus on simple seating and a quiet space to connect with nature.
Key values are the trees, open space, birds, bird habitat, dog exercise, play equipment and the circular path. Biodiversity / habitat and swale could be a point of difference between this park and others in Hilton.
Climbing and nature play were ranked in the top three preferred activities across all methods. Swinging or being in a cubby were also popular.
The most frequently mentioned play element was a flying fox, followed by slides, swings, monkey bars and climbing frames, with the need to include more challenging / bigger pieces catering to older children while maintaining function for young children.
Separating users was raised several times with differing views on how and why. The key conflict identified was dogs and children, with some suggesting fencing around the playground or part of playground. Others do not want fencing or prefer use of landscaping or ideas such as separating the dog and human water fountains. Many children also noted they visit the park with their dog.

You can access the stage one engagement report here or from the document library.

You can explore each aspect of the upgrade in the interactive image above - click to view proposed options and information and click the icon on the bottom right hand corner to enlarge the image.

The Draft Concept Design including a full view of the park is also available to view as a PDF by clicking here or from the document library.

Key moves

In response to what we heard we’ve developed a draft concept. The key moves are:

Convert the sump to a multi-use swale with a natural approach to stormwater management. It will also contribute to biodiversity / habitat and usable community space by incorporating local plant species, adding walk trails, seating and wild play.
Retain and foster existing mature trees for shade, habitat and sense of place, and integrated into the design of the park as part of the upgrade. Where mature trees appear in poor health which can be treated, the City will take steps to remediate the trees. Some trees may need to be removed due to a range of issues including their decline from age or unrecoverable health issues.
The swale, play area and kickabout area have been expanded and we anticipate some younger trees which are poorly placed and are exhibiting health issues like being rootbound, may need to be removed. The City will ensure additional tree planting, in appropriate locations will be included in the proposed design.
Upgrade the irrigation and build on the ecological theme from engagement by removing turf from selected areas to conserve water and increase biodiversity.
In response to the preference for climbing and nature play, the concept design includes a climbing fort with slide, net and cubby, swings, and the popularly requested flying fox. Also, the playground and multi-use swale incorporates boulders and logs to create nature play opportunities and enhance the ecological themes.
We understand that the park needs to cater to various users. Various turf ‘rooms’ are for passive and active recreation activities from picnics to a kickabout area with footy practice goals.
Also highlighted was the separation of the playspace from informal dog exercise areas as well as surrounding street traffic. New garden beds, boulders and logs have been carefully placed to provide a protective vegetated buffer around the playground.

Share your feedback below by Sunday 19 September 2021 or attend the Hilton precinct group meeting on 14 September (details here).

We're planning an upgrade of Griffiths Park to make sure it meets the needs of all users. It will include a play space renewal, conversion of the sump to an open swale integrated into the park and irrigation / hydrozoning.

What we heard

Broad support for converting the sump to an integrated swale with a focus on simple seating and a quiet space to connect with nature.
Key values are the trees, open space, birds, bird habitat, dog exercise, play equipment and the circular path. Biodiversity / habitat and swale could be a point of difference between this park and others in Hilton.
Climbing and nature play were ranked in the top three preferred activities across all methods. Swinging or being in a cubby were also popular.
The most frequently mentioned play element was a flying fox, followed by slides, swings, monkey bars and climbing frames, with the need to include more challenging / bigger pieces catering to older children while maintaining function for young children.
Separating users was raised several times with differing views on how and why. The key conflict identified was dogs and children, with some suggesting fencing around the playground or part of playground. Others do not want fencing or prefer use of landscaping or ideas such as separating the dog and human water fountains. Many children also noted they visit the park with their dog.

You can access the stage one engagement report here or from the document library.

You can explore each aspect of the upgrade in the interactive image above - click to view proposed options and information and click the icon on the bottom right hand corner to enlarge the image.

The Draft Concept Design including a full view of the park is also available to view as a PDF by clicking here or from the document library.

Key moves

In response to what we heard we’ve developed a draft concept. The key moves are:

Convert the sump to a multi-use swale with a natural approach to stormwater management. It will also contribute to biodiversity / habitat and usable community space by incorporating local plant species, adding walk trails, seating and wild play.
Retain and foster existing mature trees for shade, habitat and sense of place, and integrated into the design of the park as part of the upgrade. Where mature trees appear in poor health which can be treated, the City will take steps to remediate the trees. Some trees may need to be removed due to a range of issues including their decline from age or unrecoverable health issues.
The swale, play area and kickabout area have been expanded and we anticipate some younger trees which are poorly placed and are exhibiting health issues like being rootbound, may need to be removed. The City will ensure additional tree planting, in appropriate locations will be included in the proposed design.
Upgrade the irrigation and build on the ecological theme from engagement by removing turf from selected areas to conserve water and increase biodiversity.
In response to the preference for climbing and nature play, the concept design includes a climbing fort with slide, net and cubby, swings, and the popularly requested flying fox. Also, the playground and multi-use swale incorporates boulders and logs to create nature play opportunities and enhance the ecological themes.
We understand that the park needs to cater to various users. Various turf ‘rooms’ are for passive and active recreation activities from picnics to a kickabout area with footy practice goals.
Also highlighted was the separation of the playspace from informal dog exercise areas as well as surrounding street traffic. New garden beds, boulders and logs have been carefully placed to provide a protective vegetated buffer around the playground.

Share your feedback below by Sunday 19 September 2021 or attend the Hilton precinct group meeting on 14 September (details here).

Feedback Wall

Please review the draft concept design for Griffiths Park by exploring the interactive image or downloading the PDF version then share your feedback below by the 19 September 2021. Tell us your thoughts on the Swale, Playground and Key Moves proposed and whether they suit your needs.

You will be asked to choose a screen name and provide an email address to post your feedback below.

Consultation has concluded

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

I Believe there is more work needed for this plan before going to the detailed design. We need to think about our 4 legged friends which this park is predominantly used for at the moment. I would personally love to see a large well designed separated agility course for doggies.
I think a good idea would be to have 3 areas children only area, mixed dog and children area and dog only area :)

Shane over 2 years ago

The playground is too focused on young kids. Monkey bars were removed from Grigg park and have been missed by primary school aged kids. A skate park area would be amazing and truly cater to all ages.

Jemima Delaney over 2 years ago

I there.
Firstly very excited about this project. Lots of pros that are very obvious.

The cons I see on this plan is..

- if you have children playing on the park there is not much access to go in and out to help them. It seems you are walking over bushes to get in and out.
I would of thought the grass could be closer to the park so you can keep an eye on the kids, call out instructions from the picnic set up.

- There is NO monkey bars! This would be an absolute FAIL for the 5-12 year olds that spend most of their time at the park upside down or swinging around.

- seems we are loosing a lot of grass. No longer a park but a big mulch patch.

- I would of liked to see some sand as the kids hate the wood chips at park and won’t go bare foot.

- challenging climbing isn’t obvious on the plan it my be in there.

Hayley over 2 years ago

thank you for seeking feedback. The new design is beautiful and will surely be used well. As a dog owner however, I can't see much consideration for dogs, only a very small designated space, no new facilities such as agility or even a new doggy waste bin (system). The current one is terrible. With such a large playground and a designated footy area where tend to be with our dogs, I worry dogs won't be welcome anymore soon. Thank you.

NAnne over 2 years ago

The proposed 'kick-about' area and practise football goals will be installed at the cost of existing trees. This seems to be a high price to pay given that -

1. The area where the goals are to be installed has a significant slope in two directions (i.e. increased risk of injury due to trips and falls on an unsuitable playing surface).

2. The area appears to be less than 30 metres from the road, and the park is elevated above the height of the road (i.e. increased risk of balls and children running out onto the road).

3. There is a suitable 'kick-about' area with goals located at the Hilton Primary School oval which is less than 500 metres walk from Griffiths Park. This dedicated 'kick-about' area is fully fenced and sits well below the height of the adjacent road, making the risk of children being hit by a car as they run out onto the road chasing a ball highly unlikely. The playing surface of the oval has been developed specifically as a playing surface.

4. The Fremantle Council have a target of 20% tree canopy coverage (currently 13%). Destroying established trees in Griffiths Park to create a 'kick-about' area would seem to be a disregard for the Council's own policy.

Chris Beeck over 2 years ago

The proposed 'kick-about' area and practise football goals will be installed at the cost of existing trees. This seems to be a high price to pay given that -

1. The area where the goals are to be installed has a significant slope in two directions (i.e. increased risk of injury due to trips and falls on an unsuitable playing surface).

2. The area appears to be less than 30 metres from the road, and the park is elevated above the height of the road (i.e. increased risk of balls and children running out onto the road).

3. There is a suitable 'kick-about' area with goals located at the Hilton Primary School oval which is less than 500 metres walk from Griffiths Park. This dedicated 'kick-about' area is fully fenced and sits well below the height of the adjacent road, making the risk of children being hit by a car as they run out onto the road chasing a ball highly unlikely. The playing surface of the oval has been developed specifically as a playing surface.

4. The Fremantle Council have a target of 20% tree canopy coverage (currently 13%). Destroying established trees in Griffiths Park to create a 'kick-about' area would seem to be a disregard for the Council's own policy.

It looks great and it's a wonderful idea to return the corners of the park to nature.

And to put in the swale (love to see one at Collick Reserve, which is very under utilised).

But I'm still concerned about the boundary with the road and park.

The current sump area discourages use of the park so close to the road.

Obviously putting a swale in there is going to encourage a lot more movement in that area with children running around and potentially going out onto the road (chasing balls etc).

Could some kind of barrier sympathetic to the design be put in place between the new swale area and the road?

Also, are there any indigenous elements to the design? Signs with Noongar wording for flora and fauna? Sculptures? Bush tucker? Descriptions about how the First Peoples used the area/surrounding area?

There are a lot of Indigenous families in Hilton. Would be nice to have a space that recognises their heritage/educates non-Indigenous residents.

Are there any BBQ facilities in the design? And why is it "informal" dog exercise space?

It would good to formalise an area and separate it from the play area. Throwing the ball for dogs to chase after with little kids running around can be a recipe for disaster.

Might help take some pressure off the Hilton Primary School oval.

Thanks for all your efforts.

ryanremery over 2 years ago

It looks great and it's a wonderful idea to return the corners of the park to nature.

And to put in the swale (love to see one at Collick Reserve, which is very under utilised).

But I'm still concerned about the boundary with the road and park.

The current sump area discourages use of the park so close to the road.

Obviously putting a swale in there is going to encourage a lot more movement in that area with children running around and potentially going out onto the road (chasing balls etc).

Could some kind of barrier sympathetic to the design be put in place between the new swale area and the road?

Also, are there any indigenous elements to the design? Signs with Noongar wording for flora and fauna? Sculptures? Bush tucker? Descriptions about how the First Peoples used the area/surrounding area?

There are a lot of Indigenous families in Hilton. Would be nice to have a space that recognises their heritage/educates non-Indigenous residents.

Are there any BBQ facilities in the design? And why is it "informal" dog exercise space?

It would good to formalise an area and separate it from the play area. Throwing the ball for dogs to chase after with little kids running around can be a recipe for disaster.

Might help take some pressure off the Hilton Primary School oval.

Thanks for all your efforts.

The play space needs to be separated from the informal dog exercise area absolutely. Im not sure what is proposed will be sufficient. Unfortunately a minority of dog owners do not clean up faeces, do not respect leash / non-leash areas and can’t control their dogs. It detracts from experience unfortunately.
Im not sure it will also keep kids ‘in’ and away from the traffic also. Alot of the play spaces in the city of freo are very same same and lacking, they are all variations of the same. The City of Cockburn have excellent playground areas and really do it well. Im a CoF ratepayer but spend most of our time in CoC playground areas as they are far superior. Is it budget that restricts CoF?

BB over 2 years ago

Looks fantastic. Great work! I love the mulched areas around the trees and the swales looks excellent. I love that you will be using local native plants. Great idea having the buffer between the dogs and the playground. The flying fox looks awesome.
Any chance there was money in the budget for bird boxes and monkey bars?

Renée Clare over 2 years ago

1. The draft proposal doesn't say anything about accessibility. Will the whole park be accessible to wheelchair users and people with other disability, because it absolutely should be!

2.I continue to have concerns about an unfenced playground being unsuitable for toddlers and preschoolers, due to the fast-moving traffic on three sides of the park. Cars are lethal and can kill children in an instant: the only reason more children aren't killed by cars is because parents severely limit their movements to places where they are safe from cars, which in the case of toddlers and preschoolers means fenced playgrounds. Very young children don't obey the implied aesthetic rules of a few plants and boulders: without an actual fence they can still dash for the road. Even the most actively supervising parent can be distracted by another child or not fast enough. The proposed 'separation' sounds as though it is following a popular design trend for natural-looking parks that are pleasing to adults, but will not provide the physical safety of a fence. This is a shame as parents of toddlers will still either avoid using the space, or use it with anxiety. The proposed partial, aesthetic/psychological separation of playground and park is also unlikely to achieve the stated objective of keeping dogs out of the playground as like toddlers they also jump through available gaps. If you do reconsider an actual fence, please make it accessible for someone using a wheelchair. Thanks for considering my input.

Laurie over 2 years ago

1. The draft proposal doesn't say anything about accessibility. Will the whole park be accessible to wheelchair users and people with other disability, because it absolutely should be!

2.I continue to have concerns about an unfenced playground being unsuitable for toddlers and preschoolers, due to the fast-moving traffic on three sides of the park.  Cars are lethal and can kill children in an instant: the only reason more children aren't killed by cars is because parents severely limit their movements to places where they are safe from cars, which in the case of toddlers and preschoolers means fenced playgrounds. Very young children don't obey the implied aesthetic rules of a few plants and boulders: without an actual fence they can still dash for the road. Even the most actively supervising parent can be distracted by another child or not fast enough. The proposed 'separation' sounds as though it is following a popular design trend for natural-looking parks that are pleasing to adults,  but will not provide the physical safety of a fence. This is a shame as parents of toddlers will still either avoid using the space, or use it with anxiety. The proposed partial, aesthetic/psychological separation of playground and park is also unlikely to achieve the stated objective of keeping dogs out of the playground as like toddlers they also jump through available gaps. If you do reconsider an actual fence, please make it accessible for someone using a wheelchair. Thanks for considering my input.

Griffiths Park Upgrade

We're planning an upgrade of Griffiths Park to make sure it meets the needs of all users. It will include a play space renewal, conversion of the sump to an open swale integrated into the park and irrigation / hydrozoning.

What we heard

The Draft Concept Design including a full view of the park is also available to view as a PDF by clicking here or from the document library.

Key moves

Share your feedback below by Sunday 19 September 2021 or attend the Hilton precinct group meeting on 14 September (details here).

We're planning an upgrade of Griffiths Park to make sure it meets the needs of all users. It will include a play space renewal, conversion of the sump to an open swale integrated into the park and irrigation / hydrozoning.

What we heard

The Draft Concept Design including a full view of the park is also available to view as a PDF by clicking here or from the document library.

Key moves

Share your feedback below by Sunday 19 September 2021 or attend the Hilton precinct group meeting on 14 September (details here).

Feedback Wall

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Key dates

Q&A

Image gallery

Things to consider

Document library

Timeline

Site analysis

Community engagement: stage one

Compile and review

Draft concept

Community engagement: draft

Detailed design

Construction

Project Completed

Contact

Strategic Community Plan Focus Areas (2015-25)