Major works have begun on upgrades to three local parks in Logan, with design-input coming from local school students.
Riverdale Park at Meadowbrook, Alexander Clark Park at Loganholme and Mabel Park at Slacks Creek, three of more than 960 parks and reserves in Logan, are receiving innovative, safety, and hands-on improvements.
Designs of the parks’ upgrades was a collaboritive effort, involving input by students from local schools.
Logan City Council, the funder of the upgrades, revealed popular improvement suggestions included basketball half-courts, ninja fitness courses, adventure playgrounds, flying foxes, dry creek beds, swings and slides.
But the students’ ideas were more than just practical.
With help from students from Loganlea State High School, Riverdale Park will soon have a “Jurassic” feel.
The students were asked to choose a new them for the park, and they chose “dinosaur”.
According to a council statement, a pirate theme was a close second.
“The students speculated that playing in a dinosaur-themed park would bring children together for fun while a pirate theme might encourage them to play fight-based games,” the statement read.
Local councillor Tony Hall was accompanied by Mayor Darren Power, Loganlea State High School principal Brenton Farleigh and a Year 9 student in turning the first sod for the $2.5 million project, which will also see a new playground, exercise equipment, picnic shelters and barbecue facilities.
“We engaged with local school students on what they would like in the park and the feedback was overwhelming for the new additions to have a dinosaur theme, so that’s what we are going to do. I can’t wait to see it finished later this year,” Cr Hall said.
Alexander Clark Park is currently receiving a $6.34 million upgrade, which will be delivered in two stages and is expected to be finished by late November this year.
These two stages will see new play equipment and facilities added to the park’s main playground, including a play tower, water play equipment, a flying fox, slides, swings, a children’s bike track, an active sports area, park shelters, park furniture, shade sails and a sensory garden.
Stage three of the park’s upgrades will be finished in 2024, and will include a new entrance, as well as additional parking and new boardwalks, with more stages to come in the future.
These might include an active sports area with basketball and volleyball courts, a handball court, a multi-purpose open space, additional parking, a new toilet block and upgrades to existing walking tracks.
Local councillor Miriam Stemp helped turn the first sod at the Loganholme park and said it would soon be the “perfect location for a family day out”.
“These works will cement Alexander Clark Park’s reputation as one of the best multiuse parks in the city with something for everyone irrespective of your age,” she said.
Council said Mabel Park, next to Mabel Park Primary and High Schools, was one of the most popular and well-used parks in Logan.
Currently, $1.8 million upgrade works are underway to upgrade the playground with a “large bespoke play tower”, new shade sails, a junior bike skills track, a fitness station, shelters and seating, and nature play features.
These features will include waterplay elements like misters, water pumps, balancing logs and steppingstones.
The dog off-leash area will also be upgraded.
Councillor Mindy Russell said the upgrade was an investment in the next generation.
“Slacks Creek is booming as a suburb and this park upgrade is a terrific investment that will provide facilities to help nurture the minds and bodies of the many young people in the neighbourhood who use Mabel Park regularly,” Cr Russell said.
