By Di Stanley
The community scourge of vandalism has claimed another scalp – Blackwater’s All Abilities Park.
Workmen moved in last week to barricade the park and begin remove broken and vandalised play equipment.
A Central Highlands Regional Council spokesperson said the park had been targeted and subjected to “continued vandalism” over the past two years with the severity and frequency increasing significantly since January.
“Every piece of play equipment within the park, except for the flying fox, has been destroyed, including the amenities,” the spokesperson said.
“The largely steel toilets have been repeatedly damaged to such an extent they have been locked for several months after the toilets, sinks and doors were destroyed.
“Even the irrigation system and taps have been damaged, repaired and damaged again, resulting in the park not being able to be watered.”
The death of a young man at the park two years ago cast a long shadow with the spokesperson saying in the recent process of working with the family to remove a memorialisation sited there, one of the only working swings there was stolen during the night.
The All Abilities Park and its focal point, the liberty swing, was the first of its kind in Queensland.
The Central Highlands council replicated it at Japanese sister city Ichinoseki where it was named the Australian Japan Friendship Park to strengthen ties in 2015.
The spokesperson intimated the purpose-built park had had its time, with teens taking over what was meant to cater for young disabled children and their families, and the community would be consulted to drive its final design.
“Council recognises the importance of the space, however over decades and through demographic and societal changes, parks themselves often undergo changes,” they told Emerald Today.
“It is important that the residents of Blackwater have an opportunity to influence the design and that the design responds to the current challenges in the space while honouring its history and links.
“Obviously council doesn’t want to replace all the broken equipment with new only to have it vandalised again.”
$100,000 has been allocated to stage one of the project with a second stage of funding under consideration in the 2023-24 budget, due to be handed down on June 28.
The spokesperson said initially, once the vandalised equipment had been removed, a space for “quiet seating and contemplation” would emerge with new linkages between paths being created.
“Council will certainly be consulting with a wide range of stakeholders about the future, not only of the All Abilities Park, but also future plans for Dempsey Park, which is scheduled for upgrades.
“Modern ‘all abilities’ parks are designed for all children to share the same space and avoid separation of children based on disability, even those with sensory issues.”
Funding in the budget has also been sought for Dempsey Park.
“It will be for the wider Blackwater community to decide the future design of these two much-loved spaces,” the spokesperson said.