Submission on Ethel St playground proposal
The City of Sydney is planning to remove the playground equipment on Ethel St and there is a consultation process to find out what the community would like. Locals in the Ethel St area have expressed their strong desire to retain the space as a playground and subsequently the Friends of Erskineville agreed to support them. Thanks to the locals who helped us write this submission.
We have asked for an extension of time on submissions, which are currently due by 5pm 18/12/2020. You can make a submission here:
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The Friends of Erskineville oppose the proposal to remove playground equipment from the Ethel St Erskineville Playground.
We also seek an extension of time for the consultation process. Residents were only informed of the proposal 8 days ago and Friends of Erskineville have only recently just become aware of it.
Our small parks are an especially important part of community engagement in Erskineville.
The Ethel Street playground provides a backyard for the local neighbourhood children and is a valuable community asset. This proposal needs to be carefully considered so it does not reduce the value of the local park.
It provides an important space for children who don’t have backyards and community contact for parents, grandparents and locals.
The play equipment is a major asset of the park and is used by parents and carers and teenagers socialising outside with friends. It provides a focus for the neighbourhood more than just tables and chairs can provide.
Ethel St Playground provides an active outdoor activity for the local children giving respite from screen time and gives them the opportunity to interact with other children. Being so close to home for the children means it is more convenient and therefore used more often, rather than going to bigger playgrounds such as Harry Noble Reserve.
The street is a shared zone for pedestrians and traffic so safety should not be a concern. This was implemented in 2008 so the playground equipment could remain in the park, though the residents suggest a speed hump at the entrance to the street could help improve safety further.
We request that council give this proposal further consideration and allow an extension of time for consultation so all aspects can be considered by the community.
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