A fence will be built around Cameron Park Playground in Wellington, following a decision by Dubbo Regional Council (DRC).
Councillors determined a fence be installed around Cameron Park playground as part of the 2023/2024 budget and operational plan during the Ordinary Meeting of DRC, which was held in Wellington on Thursday 25 May.
In 2021 Councillors resolved to allocate $72,500 to the Cameron Park playground for a suitable fence, following Community Consultation.
Consultation was sought through a survey which received 146 responses from members of the community, of those responses 93 per cent indicated they lived locally in the Dubbo Local Government Area.
A total of 83.5 per cent of respondents indicated they would like to see a fence installed at the playground, with 37.8 per cent of those respondents indicating the proximity to the highway was their main concern.
A secondary reason of concern was the proximity of the Bell River to the playground.
“The results of the consultation clearly showed Councillors what the community wanted done and that is why we support a fence to be installed around Cameron Park playground,” Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Mathew Dickerson said.
“This is a really important safety mechanism for all parents who want to get out of the house and get to the park, they know that no matter what their children are safe and they aren’t going to run off.”
The fencing proposed during the consultation is similar to the fencing at the Victoria Park Playground.
Currently the park has a hybrid fence using timber posts and sandstone blocks which was highlighted during the consultation around the identification of the preferred supplier and put in place following the installation of the park.
The survey was promoted through the council website, social media platforms, Wellington radio and print media, QR codes were installed at the playground and hard copies of the survey were placed at the Wellington Administration Building and Wellington Library.
The fence will be added into the 2023/2024 Budget and Operational Plan with works to be undertaken during the financial year.