'Save our playground': Community challenges $220,000 park rebuild
A Melbourne council is spending over $200,000 to demolish a popular playground and replace it with a new one.
Locals living in Surrey Hills, about 11 kilometres east of Melbourne's CBD, are leading a campaign to stop the demolition of a much-loved playground known as The Castle.
The demolition and rebuild is set to cost ratepayers about $220,000.
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It's understood the new park will be without well-loved features, like the flying fox. Nine
Andrew Kokinos, a father of three, said the park was a popular space for many families in the area.
"We come down here after school and the kids love it, they jump on the flying fox and it's a great local park where we meet with lots of our friends," he said.
Kokinos said he believed the move was a "waste of money".
It's understood the new park will be without well-loved features, like the flying fox and heritage picnic chairs.
Locals living in Surrey Hills, about 11 km east of Melbourne, are leading a campaign to stop the demolition. Nine
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For young brothers Will and Josh, the playground is a beloved spot to gather after school.
"I like this playground lots because it has so much nature and has a friendly environment and I think we need to keep this tradition and fun. No need to fix it," Will said.
"There are lots of memories that people have here and that's why we can't take the playground down because then there will be only be new memories," his brother Josh said.
The City of Boroondara wants to move the playground just two metres to the west to accommodate a new scooter path.
Director of Places and Spaces Daniel Freer said the playground, which was built in 2005, was no longer fit for purpose.
"A playground safety audit in 2021 identified timber rot and cracking in the structural posts of the timber play unit below the mulch, which now requires renewal," he said.
The new site will include a netball hoop, a climbing net and refurbished swings.
The council plans to begin demolition within months.
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