Varna Park Playground Upgrade - Stage 2 Completed

In 2011, Waverley Council received grant funding from the State Government for the stage 2 playground upgrade to Varna Park Playground. Comments and feedback from local residents and children have assisted Council to work out the plan of improvement for Varna Park, with works recently completed. The stage 2 playground upgrade compliments the existing playground facility and provides an attractive space for users of Varna Park. Local residents and users of the playground have responded positively to the works, and are excited about the bright new additions and new attractive play facilities to their local park.

Playground improvements include 2 new springers for toddlers, 1 new gyrospiral (spinning see-saw), informal seating, new shade trees, accent plantings and sandstone stepping stones. The new design successfully combines the existing facilities, play tower, swings, rock outcrops and picnic shelter creating an integrated, attractive and well defined playground facility.

Varna Park Playground upgrade site Varna Park Playground Before & After

Brightening up the Park

Vibrant colours were also added to Varna Park to enhance the look and feel of this neighbourly space. The picnic shelter received a splash of purple, white and brown paint to brighten it up and compliment the new playground equipment. The yellow boundary wall also was cleared of graffiti with a fresh coat of paint.

Community Safety in the Park

Varna Park has long been a gathering place for groups of people who engage in anti-social behaviour. Incidents of drinking and smashing bottles at night, and graffiti of the picnic shelter and retaining walls bordering the park were regularly reported to Council. Sadly in January 2010, vandals burned the play equipment to the ground.

Council conducted an assessment of the Park with the local police before designing a new play facility. We hope that the new playground, a defined ‘place’ with lots to explore and growing shade, will increase the number of family visitors and length of stay, making it less attractive as a gathering place for anti-social activity. Council has implemented a similar strategy in other parks, with positive results. We will continue to monitor activities in the Park to assess the effectiveness of the strategy, and work with Police and local residents to minimise anti-social behaviour.