November Round-Up Edition: Strategies for Enhancing Community Engagement for Play Spaces and Parks

Discover City of Penrith’s Project Play, check out City of Cockburn’s design competition, dive into Fargo Park District’s Park System Master Plan, and explore Maribyrnong City Council’s creative drawing activities!

Showcasing Local Play Space Development Projects

Penrith City Council is dedicated to transforming community spaces, creating more opportunities for play, sport, and recreation. These efforts promote a healthier, more connected community and ensure that all spaces are accessible and inclusive for everyone.

To keep residents informed about current play space projects, Penrith launched ‘Project Play’, an initiative centered around their interactive Project Map. This tool allows community members to click on pins to see exactly where projects are happening, providing an easy and engaging way to stay connected with local developments.

To further support transparency and community engagement, Penrith has introduced an FAQ tool for common questions, Fact Cards highlighting key playground details, and a Form tool to collect community feedback. Fantastic work, Penrith!

Check out Penrith’s Project Play Initiative

Playground Design Competition

Manning Park in Hamilton Hill is a cherished landmark in Cockburn, serving as a popular destination for families, tourists, and the wider community. To further enhance its appeal, the City of Cockburn is developing a new playground and inviting residents to contribute their ideas for the park’s future.

As part of this initiative, the City engaged young residents through the Gather tool, encouraging children aged 5 to 18 to design their dream playground. Participants showcased their creativity with hand-drawn illustrations, paintings, or collages, envisioning spaces that reflect their unique needs and imaginations. We even got to see great and inspiring use of mixed media with the entries in Minecraft, lego and craft build!

To add excitement, a competition element was introduced, with the winning design earning a $100 voucher to Cockburn Gateway Shopping Centre. This initiative not only gathered valuable insights from the community’s youngest voices but also sparked enthusiasm and engagement around the park’s redevelopment. Well done City of Cockburn!

Explore the Creative Design Entries from Cockburn

Park System Master Plan

The Fargo Park District, home to more than 150 parks and facilities, 124 miles of scenic trails, 100 programs, 50+ special events, and supporting 136 community groups, is committed to enriching the community's quality of life. To help shape the future of its park system, the District invited residents to share their thoughts and ideas, asking: "What kind of park system do you envision for the future?"

The Fargo Park District utilized the Social Map tool to engage residents in this visioning process. Community members could place pins on a digital map, using a various icons to highlight their favourite parks, suggest areas for improvement, request specific features, share ideas, or ask questions.

This interactive approach made it easy for residents to provide feedback while visually representing community preferences and concerns. The insights gathered will help the District prioritize enhancements and address local needs effectively. Thanks to this initiative, the Fargo Park District has received 183 contributions so far!

Discover Fargo Park District’s Master Plan

Drawing Activities to Design the Future

Maribyrnong City Council recognizes the vital role play has in the lives of young people. With a growing population and the need to carefully manage open spaces and recreation areas, the City is developing a new Play Strategy. This initiative aims to ensure that Council-owned infrastructure supports every child's right to play while promoting accessible and inclusive recreational opportunities for all.

As part of this exciting initiative, Maribyrnong engaged young residents by inviting them to illustrate their dream play space. This activity encouraged creativity, allowing children to share their unique visions for ideal recreational areas. To celebrate their efforts, the City showcased all the submitted drawings using the Gallery tool, creating a vibrant display of imagination and innovation.

This initiative not only provided valuable insights into the preferences of young residents but also fostered a sense of pride and inclusion by giving children a voice in shaping their community spaces. Kudos to Maribyrnong City Council!

Browse Maribyrnong's Creative Drawings

We hope you found these examples inspiring.

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See you in December!

- The Social Pinpoint Team