AN eight-year-old boy in Willetton has taken issue with boring playgrounds and hopes to convince council to install fun play equipment.
Chad Cameron wrote to his ward councillors in the hopes the council will improve the offerings for children.
While he likes the park near his house which features a range of play equipment, he wants to see more interesting equipment, particularly at Sir Albert Jennings Park where the family often walks the dog.
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READ NOW“Mum, me and my sister went for a bike ride and we went past a park and we thought it was very dull,” he said.
So on October 29 he wrote a letter to counillor Patrick Hall who in turn encouraged Chad to consult his friends about what they might like for Sir Albert Jennings Park where Chad said there is currently just a seesaw and a small rocker.
Chad drew up a survey which he took to his Year 2 class, and also down the street, asking children to vote for their favourite piece of equipment.
A climbing frame proved the most popular, followed by a swing known as a ‘tornado’.
Eight children wanted monkey bars and a further eight wanted a flying fox, and just five wanted to see a basketball hoop.
“It’s important because it encourages more kids to play outside,” Chad said.
In a response to Chad, fellow Bannister ward councillor Ben Kunze said council had recently been talking about its playgrounds as there hadn’t been enough money put into them for a number of years, but they did cost a lot and the City of Canning had more than 100 playgrounds.
A one-off grant of $200,000 was recently awarded to the City to enable upgrades to four local parks but does not apply to Sir Albert Jennings Park.
The grant was given through the State Government’s Local Projects, Local Jobs program.
Park upgrades will be made at Russel Park in East Cannington, Fleetwood Park in Lynwood, Adenia Road Park in Riverton, and Hossack Park in Parkwood.
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