Transformation work begins at one of the state’s most popular playgrounds
Upgrades are well underway at one of the state’s most-loved adventure playgrounds in Belair National Park, but the work has prompted one advocate to say the state has a long way to go in making public spaces fun for all.
A decrepit metal-framed structure at Belair National Park is being replaced with a brand new, $300,000 playground, with three slides, a climbing rope pyramid, monkey bars, three swings, a rock-climbing wall and an emu rocker for children.
The playground is being built in the middle of the park’s popular picnic area and centred around an existing tree – and comes with accessible equipment so it can be used by children of all abilities.
This includes a trampoline, nest swing, story board, xylophone and non-verbal communications board.
Environment Minister Lucy Hood said that Belair National Park – which annually attracts 250,000 people – was one of the state’s most visited national parks and the playground was one of its draw cards.
“This upgrade will help to future-proof the playground, which has been much loved for decades,” she said.
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“Children and families will be able to enjoy the new playground in a more accessible and inclusive environment, alongside the expansive picnic area and shade of the iconic gum trees.”
While accessibility advocate Shane Hryhorec – one of InDaily‘s 40 Under 40 alumni – welcomed this new upgrade, he said it was “very important” to ensure other plans followed suit.
He said there was still a long way to go to make sure accessibility was front of mind for future developments, pointing to a new playground in Port Adelaide that is not fully inclusive.
“If playgrounds are accessible, it tells, especially our youth with disabilities, that they are welcome and they are included in society,” said Hryhorec.
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“The sad thing is that so many playgrounds are still getting built today without accessibility considerations.
“It’s not hard to make a playground inclusive, but a lot of local governments just don’t really care about taking those steps required, and a big problem as well with playgrounds is that it’s an optional opt-in to make it accessible.”
The new structure at Belair has been designed with natural colours and timber, with the aim of blending in with the surrounding nature, and the playground’s popular play tunnels and fort sections will remain for now. Any potential future upgrades would be embarked on in consultation with the community.
While the area around the playground site would be closed while the upgrades take place, the nearby tunnel and fort would remain open.
Hryhorec said he would like to see the law changed so that all future playgrounds were built to be accessible, and said that one problem about creating accessible spaces is that when people speak up, they are often ignored.
“People complain about it all the time, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to be fixed. The same thing applies to public spaces and playgrounds,” he said.
“People with disabilities have been asking for these for so, so long – because you ask for it, because you lobby for it, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.
“There’s just a lack of care for inclusion in our society.”
