Council Playground Design

Have you ever wondered how an award-winning Council Playground Design comes to fruition?

The team at Insite EMLA worked on the design and planning of the Tamworth Regional Playground to create a one-of-a-kind community space.

Not only was this playground design well received by our client, we are thrilled to report it was recognised by the 2016 Parks and Leisure Australia NSW/ACT Regional Award for Excellence in the Major Playground Category (over $1 million).

Keep reading to learn more about Insite EMLA’s thoughtful design approach to council playground designs – and how we can help you.

Tamworth Regional Playground Planning and Design

Tamworth Regional Council wanted to provide a safe and vibrant play space to their community and the thousands of tourists who visit each year.

It had to be innovative, unique and available to children of all ages and abilities.

And the final result was a show-stopper, highly regarded by our client, loved by the local community and receiving praise from Parks and Leisure Australia National Award judges!

“Insite EMLA’s commitment to the provision of high quality service and value for money, their ability to engage with stakeholders to ensure project expectations are always met and often exceeded and their ability and willingness to change and adapt as and when required has meant that they have since been engaged to undertake many more projects for Council over the last 7 years.

Insite’s innovative design flair, extensive practical knowledge and experience of the complexities of managing large multi-purpose public open spaces and their solution focused approach resulted in a regional playground which has been very well received by the community of and the visitors to Tamworth.” – Grant R, Tamworth Regional Council

The Tamworth Regional Playground is the only playground of its kind in regional Australia, so here is a bit more about how the council playground design evolved.

Notable features of this Council Playground Design

Unique collection of play equipment grouped together in age specific zones
Equipment integrates seamlessly to provide a progression of play from one end to the other
Purposeful placement of seating and picnic facilities allows parents to supervise their children from a safe distance
Several ‘Smart’ technological features incorporated, such as ‘Smart’ Bins enable the park’s maintenance crew to remotely monitor the amount of refuse each bin contains

We were chuffed that the judging panel recognised the sustainability and placemaking qualities we designed into this council playground design.

“The inclusion of so many activities and opportunities for events through available facilities suggests the site will have appeal for the long term. Development of the site looks holistic and well planned. Good assessment of lifecycle and maintenance costing is a must in today’s economic climate.” – Judge, Parks and Leisure Australia National Awards for Excellence 2016

‘Smart’ Technology in Playground Design

Along with the ‘smart’ bins, the playground also features:

Seven CCTV cameras
Free wireless internet service available during daylight hours

Ten wireless lights and their control system: Lights can be switched on and off, dimmed and monitored individually
The lighting system includes a duress button and an ambient light monitor to decrease the intensity of lighting during daylight hours
Sensors in the pavement of on-street parking bays in Kable Avenue and in the new off-street car park provide live data on the occupancy of car parks

Potential Council Playground Design Challenges

Drainage issues are quite common in council projects such as playgrounds and foreshore developments.

Challenge: Drainage was a major issue as the Tamworth site is low lying with no or little fall across the site to the road.

Solution: An extensive sub-surface drainage system was designed by Insite EMLA and installed. All the pathway and plaza areas were designed to drain to either catch pits connected to the sub-surface drainage system or to the road to mitigate future issues.

Material Selection for Playground Design

Landmark pieces of play equipment were installed at the Tamworth playground, including:

Corocord – Sky Tower
Kompan – Blox3
Moduplay – Double Skyrider & Mammoth Swing
Landscape Structures – Quad Arch Swing, Netplex and Smart Play Motion

Playdale – Little City
Willplay – various outdoor fitness equipment
Shade Sails were supplied and installed by Ellis and Sons

The strategic selection of materials chosen for this playground design was also noted in feedback from the judges:

“Great integration of aligned facilities that will encourage visitation by a wider range of users. Clever use of materials and finishes to reduce the maintenance over the life of the facility.” – Judge, Parks and Leisure Australia National Awards for Excellence 2016