Everyone Can Play Grant helps fund Penrith's playspace upgrades

Penrith City Council is working with the NSW Government under the Everyone Can Play Grant Program to upgrade a number of its playspaces including the Carriageway, Glenmore Park and Ironbark Reserve Playspace in Cranebrook.

Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies advised that Penrith was one of 30 successful councils to benefit from the latest round of funding from the NSW Government’s Everyone Can Play initiative. Everyone Can Play supports councils to create new and upgrade existing playspaces across the state to ensure people of all ages, abilities and cultural backgrounds can play.

The funding will help deliver improved and modernised playgrounds at the Carriageway and Ironbark Reserves with both to feature new play equipment, and seating, as well as improved pathways and landscaping.

Davies notes “Inclusive playgrounds provide wonderful spaces for families and friends of all ages and abilities to play, relax and connect, and this funding will help make our community even more inclusive.”

The $80,000 Carriageway, Glenmore Park project is jointly funded by the NSW Government and Penrith Council.  Penrith Council has contributed $120,000 to the Ironbark Reserve Playspace upgrade with an additional $50,000 coming from the Everyone Can Play Grant Program.

Penrith Mayor, Ross Fowler highlights that “playgrounds and open spaces are vital to the health and wellbeing of our communities. We are excited to be replacing old, outdated playgrounds to meet the needs of our current and future residents.”  

Designed in consultation with the community, these projects are part of a five-year, $125 million program of capital projects identified in Council’s recently released Sport and Recreation Strategy.

As part of the Strategy, more than 25 local playgrounds will be upgraded across the Penrith City Council area.

Mayor Fowler advised that “the plan meets our aim to provide residents in established suburbs with up-to-date facilities while at the same time ensuring sports fields, playgrounds and parks are available in new areas as our population grows.”

Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayres said it was important to foster a healthy lifestyle through investment in open spaces like Ironbark Reserve and added “the NSW Government’s Everyone Can Play initiative is all about creating inclusive playspaces across NSW for everyone to enjoy.

“Inclusive and accessible playspaces serve as a great social outlet for all people, allowing them to connect, relax and to enable them to live healthy and active lives.”

Mayor Fowler also highlighted that improved shade was a key element of the upgrade to Ironbark Reserve Playspace noting “Council will be adding trees and shade structures to 90 playspaces across the City over the next three years to help our residents beat the heat and make more use of our open spaces.”

The Carriageway Playspace will be closed during construction and work is expected to be complete by the end of July.

Ironbark Reserve Playspace will be closed while work is undertaken, with construction expected to be finished by the end of August.

For more information go to https://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/

Image top: impression of Carriageway, Glenmore Park playspace and image above: impression of Ironbark Reserve Playspace