By Bonny Burrows
Lakeside Park’s playground will be closed as new design works begin.
The existing playground and future play space site at Lakeside Park, located on Lakeside Boulevard, Pakenham, will be closed from 20 November while works are undertaken to upgrade the space.
The park will be upgraded as per a design voted on by the local community.
Works will include the upgrade of the existing playground for younger children, a new playground targeted at older children, an exercise station between the two playgrounds and a basketball half-court.
Cardinia Shire Council’s team leader of passive reserves Kevin Alexander said the proposed basketball half-court will be located on the southern side of the gabion wall, next to the new play space as voted by the Lakeside Residents Group at its last meeting on 18 October.
“The ‘dragon’, currently located in the existing playground, will be retained at the council depot until a survey is held in mid-January to identify what the community would like to see happen with it,” Mr Alexander said.
He said the playground’s revamp was just one of many occurring around the shire.
“This playground upgrade is one of six playground upgrade projects identified in council’s play space strategy, which have been jointly funded by a $700,000 grant from the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund and $200,000 under council’s playground renewal program 2017-18,” Mr Alexander said.
“This particular project at Lakeside Park is costed at $150,000.”
The playground is expected to reopen just in time for Christmas on 20 December.
