canberra.bike
Play spaces are popping up all over Canberra. Canberra.bike provided a guide to play spaces and this is now updated in this post. A recent announcement by Chris Steel in May 2020 reminded us that there is more to come. Some were already in last years budget but a few have been brought forward as a result of COVID-19 playground closures. There is good news here for everybody.
“… can we have an article comparing the facilities in our older suburbs that are neglected and barely consist of more than a small metal swing set.”
Comment on Facebook
The reason: the grand play spaces in new estates are funded by the sale of blocks to those new residents moving into the suburb. For decades after that, the infrastructure will be maintained but not changed. If a play space is missing from this new estate design, then it will never be built later because there is no funding to do so.
THE SAME APPLIES FOR CYCLING.
If a new suburb does not get good cycling infrastructure from the start, then it will remain poor for decades. This is what is happening now in the Molonglo Valley estate development.
Sutherland Crescent Central Community Playground is the official name of a place that should be called, with a little mystery, The Castle. The ramparts have collapsed to mounds around a courtyard filled with treasures. Enter across the drawbridge under the tower and discover the secrets.
“On the south wall overlooking the plain, a man, by some magic, had created a marvel that flew like a bird and howled with great intensity.”
Stories of a Traveller (MMXX AD)
Moncrieff is a new suburb in the north.
The Taylor estate is opposite on the other side of Horse Park Drive. This area is quite flat and the bike infrastructure is good. The estate planning in Gungahlin has worked out well for cyclists. All the more puzzling why the estate planning in Molonglo Valley, which started later, has been so patchy. One of the successes of urban planning in Gungahlin is certainly the Moncrieff Community Recreation Park Playground. It is also known as “Move at Moncrief”.
There are play spaces popping up all over Canberra. Here is an overview of where, and more information on one planned for Coombs, and two found in the Kippax and Calwell town centre master plans. A play ground near you can be found on an OpenStreetMap interactive map.
