All work, no play as upgrade begins

THE Lake Weeroona playground is closed until December while a one-and-a-half-million-dollar upgrade takes place.

City of Greater Bendigo presentations and assets director Brian Westley said the original playground, which was built in 1998, had reached the end of its life span with noticeable structural deterioration.

“Lake Weeroona Playspace is one of the City’s most popular and well used playspaces and its renewal is a key action of the City’s Lake Weeroona Master Plan 2011,” he said.

“Thousands of visitors enjoy it each year and this renewal will ensure it continues to be a destination playspace.

“We are looking forward to the completion of the new playspace so it can continue to entertain new generations of young people for the next 20 years.”

The new playground will be bigger and include junior and senior zones, a water play area, native animal sculptures by Bendigo artist Yvonne George, and accessible ramps.

Various equipment will be constructed, including a pyramid climbing net, a log swing, accessible carousel, mini inground trampoline, see-saw and “nature play opportunities.”

Trees will be planted to provide protection from the sun with no shading included in the build except for a treehouse space.

Funding for the space comes from a $1.2 million contribution from the Federal Government local roads and community infrastructure program and just over $300,000 from the City of Greater Bendigo.