The Year Ahead

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As our office gears up for 2018, we begin by celebrating our achievements for 2017:

Lady Gowrie Child Care Centre, Erskineville. Gowrie NSW CEO Lynne Harwood joined the Minister for Early Childhood Education, Sarah Mitchell, to officially open the recently refurbished Centre and outdoor learning area. We are proud to be the designers of this large natural play area and are particularly pleased with the timber deck and sandpit around the magnificent mature Hills Weeping Fig tree.

Endeavour Park and Playground, Kings Langley. The park, playground and leash-free dog area were completed and officially opened by Mayor Stephen Bali MP this year. Our office thoroughly enjoyed creating a design based on the epic journey of James Cook from 1768 to 1771, on his ship (The Endeavour). His groundbreaking study of the Transit of Venus, and his explorations around the world are referenced throughout the park and playground. The large park is now being used for all manner of family events and we  are proud of our contribution to community recreation in Kings Langley!


Other 2017 achievements:

  • Proud contributor to the new published Standard AS 4685.0:2017Playground equipment and surfacing – Part 0: Development, installation, inspection, maintenance and operation
  • Author of the chapter “Designing with children: a practitioner’s perspective” in Designing cities with children and young people: beyond playgrounds and skate parks / edited by Kate Bishop and Linda Corkery.
  • Key organiser and collaborator for KIDSCAPE play day in First Fleet Park, Sydney CBD, October 2017.
  • Conference presentations included:
    Kiama: Parks and Leisure Australia – topic: “Hosting a public Play Day”
    Auckland: World Forum on Early Care and Education – topic: “Journey into Nature”
  • State Inclusive Play Guide: contributors to the new design guide

Awards:
Parks and Leisure Australia  – National Awards of Excellence: Playspace (<$0.5m) – Halvorsen Park Playground, Ermington
Parks and Leisure Australia  – NSW/ACT Awards of Excellence: Playspace (<$0.5m) – Halvorsen Park Playground, Ermington

Now, coming into 2018 it is an exciting time!

This year, in construction:

  • Beaton Park (Perth): Stage 1 of construction will be finished in late February/early March.
  • Mick Doohan Reserve Inclusive Playground (Oran Park) will commence construction this year.
  • White Rabbit Child Care Centre (Naremburn) will start construction, after what has been a long approval process!
  • Sydney Olympic Park: Bicentennial Park Playground upgrade will be ready for the April school holidays, featuring our new floor maze challenge

2018 heralds a year of deep thought and industry contributions…

  • Play is emerging as a key factor contributing to better health, and we are committed to contributing to this through a series of forums, seminars and policy papers!
  • Debate on high density living and healthy childhood development is receiving deserved attention, and Fiona is going to be part of brainstorming how we can “Do Density Better”.
  • Fiona is also going to be working on a Position Statement on Play for the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects National Advocacy Committee with Mary Jeavons.
  • The Australian Standards continue to be updated, and this year Fiona’s position on the Committee will mean that the definition for Outdoor Play will be formalised – a first for Australia!.