We are planning to upgrade Scott Street Reserve, delivering on commitments of the Council approved Play Space Strategy (PSS) to improve liveability, equity, and meet community expectations for high quality play experiences across the LGA.

Before we do this, we welcome your feedback on the concept design. Your feedback helps to ensure we make the upgrades that the community wants and needs.

Care has been taken to ensure the concept design balances user needs with key site constraints.

Proposed Improvements will:

• Retain existing play experiences.
• Provide new nature play, social and imaginative play experiences.
• Improve access to play spaces catering to the diverse needs of the community.
• Improve safety in line with current Australian Standards.
• Improve comfort and amenity for carers.
• Create a memorable local experience.
• Retain “pocket park” character.
• Provide a space for all types of park users.

Key considerations:

• Amenity of neighbouring properties.
• Small size of both reserves.
• Retention of large mature trees.
• Existing underground and overhead services.

Scott Street Reserve is a pocket park in Bronte reserved for public recreation by Waverley Council. The reserve was identified to be upgraded 10-15 years after the adoption of the Play Space Strategy (PSS) in 2014. Council is now delivering on this commitment.

Concept plans have been developed in line with the PSS as well as the principles set out in Council's Inclusive Play Space Study Report 2020.

The reserve and playground will remain as a pocket park catering to residents in the immediate area, with a play experience tailored to primary school age children. Scott Street Reserve is part of a network of closely located playgrounds including Varna Park, Macpherson Park and Bronte Park which cater to older age groups and provide a wider variety of experiences such as fitness stations & dog off-leash areas.

Community consultation for Scott Street Reserve was undertaken from 20 May – 23 June 2024.

Council was notified on 22 July of the results and approved the design on 29 July 2024.

The upgrades deliver on the Council’s adopted Play Space Strategy 2014-2029 (PSS). Positive results of the survey support the strategic aim to introduce nature play, expand on the range of play opportunities and include the existing features of the topography into the playground activities for the playground. Overall the community support the illustrative concept design and it is recommended that the project proceeds to detailed design.

Consultation feedback

The HYS survey included both a quick poll and long form survey designed to capture a greater number of respondents.

The Quick Poll

Proved very insightful in generating an overall feel for community support for the upgrades:

• A resoundingly positive 92% of respondents supported the project.

Long Form Survey

Community supports the strategic aims for the upgrade and ranked highest important to introduce new play elements, introduce new social and imaginative play and seal the worn track desire line that cuts through the park. Feedback highlights:

• 93% of respondents support the upgrade.
• 75% of respondent visit at a daily to weekly frequency, generally for short stays of 10 minutes (80%)
• 47% cited their reason to visit the park is for the playground while 27% walk the dog.
• HYS Day provided opportunities for children to be a part of the engagement and were able to provide their input into look and feel as well as type of play experiences they would enjoy.