Respect your local playground

OUR city’s playgrounds are invaluable assets to our communities. They provide vital safe spaces for people to play, get active and make friends.

So, it’s crushing to hear reports of vandalism and damage to play equipment across the municipality, and the fact that it’s increasing – beggar’s belief!

In the past financial year, more than $60,000 worth of damage has been inflicted on playgrounds in our area.

This figure doesn’t even account for the theft of play equipment, which is also increasing significantly.

Vandalism has tangible consequences that negatively impact the community.

The money we’ve spent on repairs is the equivalent cost of purchasing an entire new play structure, equipped with slides and climbing frames.

The culmination of these crimes has essentially stolen a playground from a suburb waiting for its own space for people to play.

I am particularly disappointed by the reports of ongoing theft and vandalism at the new Rippleside Inclusive Playspace.

Since its opening late last year, the playground has been subject to consistent misuse and damage to its play equipment.

This $3.5 million playspace was designed with accessibility and inclusion in mind, catering to people with limited mobility or living with disability.

So, to hear that self-centred individuals have intentionally damaged this space is incredibly disheartening.

Aside from responding to reports of theft and vandalism, our team has had to erect signage to deter guests from placing marquees within the playspace.

Significant damage has been done to the facility’s soft rubber flooring, where tent pegs have been ripped out and downpipes dislodged by guests hosting events.

When damage is done to these specialised surfaces, it’s never just a patch job. Large areas require replacement, which costs a fortune.

Unfortunately, these acts of vandalism aren’t unique to Rippleside. We’ve had significant damage at Haines Reserve, Goldsworthy Reserve and a number of playgrounds in Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed.

At Aldershot Reserve, another new build, holes have been burned into the rubber surface of the playground, leaving us with another hefty price tag.

As chair of Safety, Graffiti & Regulation, I find this behaviour abhorrent. Our playgrounds are assets to be enjoyed by the entire community, and they are being undermined by a small minority who lack respect for our shared spaces.

There are over 380 playgrounds in Greater Geelong, all of which deserve equal respect. If you see someone intentionally damaging our playgrounds, please report it.

We don’t want future projects to miss out on funding because we are busy patching up damaged infrastructure elsewhere.

If you are one of the 40,000 monthly visitors to Rippleside, we hope you continue to use this space with the care it deserves.

We should be proud of this build that was designed to support imagination, play and social connection for our entire community.

Whether you visit Rippleside often or only occasionally, we’d appreciate your feedback.

The City is conducting a Have Your Say survey, and your thoughts could help shape future projects in Greater Geelong.

To share your thoughts, head to yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/RSIPS before 5pm on 17 April.