A mother from Bondi Beach heavily campaigned for Waverley Council to upgrade the Bondi Beach Playground beside the pavilion.
Talia Golan, who frequents the area with her 2-year-old son, asked for the improvements after noticing that most of the equipment are rusty or have missing parts.
Ms Golan said that rusty playground equipment in disrepair may have splinters and shards that could harm the children. The rope holding up the sunshade also needs to be replaced since it’s not tied to a stable and appropriate pole.
The Bondi Beach gated playground also has a section for bigger children. This area needs new pavement as well since the current ground is uneven and has been causing kids to trip or stub their toes.
The gates around the playground are also rusted. There is a boat on the sand that serves a bench but its woodwork has been chipping off.
“This a serious tetanus hazard,” Goldman wrote in her petition addressed to the Waverley Council.
“The current play components aren’t even suitable for ages 1-3yr, (which makes up majority of the kids playing there), as there are no steps for crawling and walking toddler to develop their fine motor skills.”
Two weeks after Ms Goldman posted her petition, members of the Waverley Council responded to her request. Council Member Gabrielle Upton confirmed that the Council received a $300,000 NSW Government Grant to fix the Bondi Beach gated playground.
“I shared this fantastic news with local mum Talia, Councillors Leon Goltsman, Sally Betts, and Angela Burrill who all know what a difference the funding will make to the well-loved area,” Ms Upton said.
According to Ms Golan, the Council has also voted and unanimously agreed to fix the Bondi Beach Playground after the Bondi Pavilion renovation.
The medium-sized Bondi Beach Playground is a popular feature in this recreational spot. Currently, the playground has two normal swings, two baby swings, a hammock swing, climbing rigs for big and small children, a baby slide and a sandpit area with seesaws and stepping stones.