Centennial Parklands wins two state-wide Awards of Excellence

Centennial Parklands was successful last night in winning not one, but two state awards at the Parks & Leisure Australia’s 2018 NSW & ACT Regional Awards of Excellence, held in Tamworth NSW, including Best Playspace and Best Strategic Planning.

Centennial Parklands has the best playspace in NSW

The first award granted to the Parklands was for Best Playspace (>$0.5 million) which was awarded to The Ian Potter Children’s WILD PLAY Garden, which opened October 2017. Prior to its opening, the idea for the Garden was met with an overwhelmingly positive response, with 94% of the public claiming they “loved the idea”.

Since generously providing $1.5 million in 2014, The Ian Potter Foundation enabled this vision to become a reality. The Garden has provided an outdoor learning experience for children aged 2-12, of all abilities and backgrounds, enabling a ‘whole-of-life’ approach to education.

The unique Garden is a state-of-the-art nature play space designed to engage the five senses, and helps to reconnect children to nature. It is one of few gardens in the country that offer engaging ‘nature-based’ play, and the first in New South Wales. This type of education has been shown to positively benefit children’s future physical and mental development, which you can learn more about here.

The judges of the award saw the potential of the Garden, just as the public certainly have, as The WILD PLAY Garden has received over 142,584 visitors since opening in October 2017.

Centennial Parklands has the best plans for the future of its Parks

Centennial Parklands was also awarded Best Strategic Planning for the Moore Park 2040 Master Plan which delivers a robust planning framework and guiding principles for the future direction and management of Moore Park and will enriched and revitalised the community.

After extensive consultation with the public and stakeholders, and 700 letters and emails detailing what you want from Moore Park, we created this interactive plan. Some of the proposed interventions included:

• Extensive tree plantings to make Moore Park into a peaceful oasis
• Greater provisions for cyclists and pedestrians, and improve safety and amenity for all Park visitors
• More provision for passive recreation, such as walking and picnicking
• Retention of the amazing 18 hole golf course in Moore Park Golf. Which was consequently voted one of the best Australian Golf Courses earlier this year.
• Develop the sporting facilities

The implementation of the plan has already begun, with the recent unveiling of the updated Centennial Parklands Sports Centre, which has amazing new, cutting-edge sporting facilities. As well as upgrading the Moore Park Gold Driving Range, restoration of the historically significant Toll House and improved parking redevelopment at ES Marks Field.
 

Centennial Parklands will now go on to the National Awards, which will be announced at the International Parks Congress Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner on 16 October at the MCG in Melbourne, Victoria.

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