A SUSTAINABLE POCKET OF PLAY

A well-loved pocket park needed an eco-friendly refresh to ensure ongoing generations of local residents could continue to utilise the greenspace for fun.

Nestled in the heart of a residential community, Waverly Street Reserve park had served its neighbourhood of Mitcham in South Australia for many years. Reflecting its age, the play structures situated in the park needed replacing and the landscaping was in desperate need of a refresh.

Under the domain of local Council, this pint-sized playspace underwent a vibrant transition to create a new and engaging play zone that would cater to all ages and abilities, ensuring its continued service to the local community for years to come.

Bringing the park into the present and up to today’s standards required replacing the seating area used so parents and carers could relax while supervising little adventurers. Shade needed to be added over the play equipment to provide protection against the sun’s harmful rays, and a layer of safety surfacing was essential to provide safe ground underfoot for play and increased accessibility.

To achieve these high standards, play equipment specialist KOMPAN Australia was brought on board. Responsible for designing and manufacturing a range of equipment that would not only meet Council’s requirements for varied play activities and suitability for children of all ages and abilities, KOMPAN also engineered a range of fun play structures that achieves Council’s requirements for sustainability — meeting the standards set forth in the South Australia Green Procurement guidelines.

“Mitcham is leading the way in sustainability,” states Tim Birkett, Open Space Asset Officer at City of Mitcham Council. “In all of our procurements, sustainability as a priority is up there with cost and design. This solution met all of our sustainable procurement needs, and the community love it.”

The attractive teal colour scheme comes from the equipment’s sustainable materials. The KOMPAN GreenLine play tower and see-saw panels use 100 percent recycled ocean waste, (like trawl nets and ropes) while the rotomoulded dynamic play elements use 25 percent recycled materials. The complementary matte-grey posts are also made from 100 percent recycled textiles and single-use plastics. By choosing sustainable KOMPAN equipment, City of Mitcham Council was able to save 20 percent on their carbon emissions in delivering this playground.

The design of the site is compact yet well laid out. The swings and play tower include different zones to cater to different ages and abilities, while the springer is a delight for toddlers, and the carousel offers a thrill to school-age children.

The combination of rubber and woodchip softfall utilised allows direct access to the picnic area and inclusive play activities like the carousel and bird nest swing, which are safe and easily rideable by children in mobility devices. Fresh turf and newly planted areas edged by timber stepping logs, which double as climbing opportunities, capped off this perfect pocket of play.

Utilising a varied range of equipment that aid in spinning, climbing, sliding, bouncing, swinging and performing activities that support children’s social-emotional, physical, cognitive and creative development through play, marks the Waverly Street Reserve park as a future-proof project. “This is a perfect example of how a pocket park doesn’t have to miss out on anything,” said Stacey Hack, Design and Visualisation Team Leader at KOMPAN.

“What we’re doing here is the next step. It’s all about reducing carbon emissions. Whether the equipment is for a smaller park in a local community or a destination park in a large city, these little choices add up. If councils around the country can roll out sustainable procurement guidelines like Mitcham has, we’d all be taking the next best step together.”

PROJECT PARTICULARS

Client City of Mitcham Council

Location Mitcham, South Australia

Installation Biltwell

Shade Structures Weathersafe Shades

Furniture Install, Landscaping & Remedial Work Lynx Handyman Services

Design KOMPAN/Playmazing

Play Equipment Design & Manufacture KOMPAN Australia

Photography Sweet Lime Photo