THE former railway storage yard turned make-shift community entertainment and park precinct on Henderson Road is set to be completely transformed with a $370,000 makeover in the works.
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THE former railway storage yard turned make-shift community entertainment and park precinct on Henderson Road is set to be completely transformed with a $370,000 makeover in the works.
Lush green spaces, native trees, a flying fox, new barbecue and picnic facilities, exercise equipment, upgraded sports courts and an extended skatepark are just some of the attractions on the cards.
Councillors reviewed preliminary design plans for the site at their meeting on Wednesday night, with a 28-day period of community consultation to follow in October.
The roughly 10,000 square-metre parkland is a rare tract of public land in apartment-heavy Crestwood, and Queanbeyan Council parks officer Debbie Sibbick said she was looking forward to seeing it transformed into a suburban oasis following construction next year.
"People have said they'd like to see more grass, trees and lighting here so it's a nicer, safer environment. And skaters have said they'd like to see additional skate infrastructure here as well," she said.
"There'll be something for everyone: playgrounds for young kids and the upgraded train carriage can be booked for children's parties. And there's the flying fox, basketball and soccer court and skate park for the older kids, plus fitness equipment and areas to relax for mum and dad. And mum will be able to keep an eye on everyone."
Council will divert $250,000 from the recent $1 million sale of Crestwood's McKeahnie St Childcare Centre to fund the upgrade to the eastern side of the park, while the Queanbeyan League's Club will contribute $120,000 in poker machine revenue to fund a skate park upgrade.
A report from Council's park manager Tim Geyer presented to Councillors this week also floated the possibility of relocating the city skatepark from Moore Park (adjacent to the aquatic centre) up to the new Henderson Park Reserve.
Following the period of public consultation next month, a final design will be prepared by design contractor GHD, before Council puts the construction contract out to tender.
Ms Sibbick said Council was looking forward to hearing from Crestwood residents and park users over the coming weeks to help produce a vibrant community space.
"The main thing is to change and beautify the landscape to make it a nicer place to come to, and boost the use of the facility," she said.
"There's that old saying 'Build it and they will come', and that's the vision."