In 2016, Sunshine Coast Council consulted the Sippy Downs community to develop the Sippy Downs Parks Master Plan. The consultation showed overwhelming community support for a new playground with more play opportunities and better car parking at Albany Lakes Park.
Project overview
Council is pleased to advise that funding has been secured for stage one of the proposed new playground. Funding has been received from Councilor Christian Dickson’s capital works funds and a grant from the Queensland Government’s Unite and Recover Community Stimulus Package. Council is also funding car park works in the area.
Past consultation
In 2018, Council endorsed the Sippy Downs Parks Master Plan, which was developed in consultation with the local community throughout 2016 and 2017. It outlines how the park network will function in the future and enables council to seek funding to deliver the plan in stages.
The master plan process identified that the existing Albany Lakes Park playground should be upgraded to a district level facility as it currently doesn't have enough play equipment to meet community needs.
The park user survey, took place as part of the consultation, it demonstrated that the community need and support this upgrade. For a full overview of the consultation outcomes please see the Sippy Downs Parks Master Plan.
Council sought further feedback to ensure that the installation of the playground reflects the views of the wider community.
Seeking your feedback
Council invited the community to have their say on the proposal to provide a district park level playground at Albany Lakes Park via an online survey. Feedback closed 5pm Friday 19 February.
Moving the playground
The Sippy Downs Parks Master Plan shows the improved play space staying in its current location. However, after a more detailed assessment, council recommends that the playground relocate to the area shown on the landscape concept plans.
Benefits to moving the playground:
- More space to play, a bigger playground needs more space and the proposed new location has a larger area available for expansion, with better linkages to open space and lakeside areas.
- Better visibility for parents and carers – the proposed new location will have better visibility and surveillance of children using the play space.
- Access to future toilets, the new location provides better connection to future public amenities (subject to funding).
- Protection of the fig trees, should the play space be expanded in the current location, the fig tree roots will compromise the fall zones for the play equipment, which becomes a safety concern. The playground infrastructure, retaining walls and fencing, are also impacting on the existing fig trees.
- Better pathways, the decommissioning of the existing play space allows for future pathway connectivity improvements.
Construction timeframe
To take advantage of the Queensland Government grant council secured, it’s expected that the following works for stage one of the Albany Lakes Park playground will be completed before 30th June 2021, please refer to the attached landscape concept plan:
- the renewal and relocation of the existing multi play unit
- additional new play equipment
- improved access with a connecting path
- park furniture
- safety fencing to the Albany Street boundary
- shade tree planting.
More works in Albany Lakes Park will be considered and prioritised as funding becomes available.
Car park upgrades
Car park upgrades are in the process of being designed and will be constructed in the 2021-2022 financial year. Please refer to the attached landscape concept plan.
The new car park on Sir Raleigh Drive will include 10 car parking bays, a disabled car parking bay, connecting paths, and shade trees.
The improvements to the existing car park in Albany Lakes Park are to make the car park compliant with current design standards. The proposed works will provide a turning bay, a disabled car parking bay, and a connecting path to the proposed playground.
Flying foxes at Albany Lakes Park
Council is aware that flying-foxes were roosting in trees nearby the existing playground in Albany Lakes Park. This site first came to council’s attention in mid-March 2020 when we were notified by residents that a small group of black flying-foxes were roosting there. As per council’s flying-fox roost response protocol the site is routinely monitored to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the situation in order to achieve the best management outcome.
Monitoring results are viewable to the public on council’s BatMap here.
Will flying foxes return to Albany Lakes Park
Little red flying-fox moved into this site in November and displaced the black flying-fox. Little reds are seasonal visitors, staying in our region for only two to three months to feed on the Eucalypts that flower over summer.
Although little reds are highly nomadic, their seasonal movement is more predictable than other types of flying-fox found on the Sunshine Coast. As predicted, after breeding, they have returned to central and western Queensland to give birth and rear their young.
There are no previous records of flying-foxes roosting at this site, therefore there is no way to accurately predict whether they will continue to use this site.
Contact
For more information, please contact council's Project Officer on 07 5475 7272 or email LandscapeDesignandPlanning@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.
