Adelaide City Council needs to spend $200,000 to fix Quentin’s playground

Fixing a playground built in honour of a beloved disability advocate will leave a big bill for Adelaide Council. See the problems.

Adelaide City Council needs to spend $200,000 fixing a $1.27m playground built in the memory of disability advocate Quentin Kenihan.

Disability groups have been raising concerns about the Quentin Kenihan Inclusive Playspace at Rymill Park since it was officially opened by Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor last December.

Representatives of Mr Kenihan’s family met with council staff last month to point out potential hazards for children in wheelchairs or with visual impairness.

SUPERLOOP: Rubberised track is too narrow. Needs to be widened to avoid children in wheelchairs going into the grass when travelling at speed. Picture Sarah Reed

RUBBISH BINS: Bins are not suitable for children in wheelchairs. They need slots in the sides so refuse can be put into them. Picture: Sarah Reed

They highlighted how wheelchairs could get stuck in in-ground trampolines, blind children might trip in a water feature and children travelling at speed in wheelchairs on a rubberised track could crash.

During the inspection, a wheelchair-bound friend of Mr Kenihan also pointed out rubbish bins were difficult for wheelchair-bound people to use, buttons were too high on the doors of disabled toilets and some corners on paths were difficult to navigate.

The park was built by private contractors using designs approved by an advisory committee consisting of council staff, representatives of Mr Kenihan’s family and disability advocates.

Deputy Lord Mayor, Mary Couros at the playground in Rymill Park. Picture: Sarah Reed

PATHS: Corners on paths are too sharp, creating safety hazards for children in wheelchairs. They need to be filled in with concrete. Picture: Sarah Reed

More than 30 stakeholders were invited to participate in the project, including the Royal Society for the Blind, Autism SA, Cora Barclay Centre, Department of Human Services’ Disability Engagement Group, Minda, Kudos Services, Cara and the State Government’s Inclusive Play Working Group.

Deputy Lord Mayor Mary Couros said she arranged the site inspection with the council’s infrastructure director, Klinton Devenish.

“Quentin’s family contacted me about some improvements they wanted to be made to the play space and I was happy to facilitate this,” she said.

TRAMPOLINES: An in-ground trampoline suitable for children in wheelchairs is not marked. Two other trampolines are hazardous as they have metallic frames. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

WATER FEATURE: Visually-impaired children with walking canes are at risk of falling over into a water feature made from concrete Picture: Sarah Reed

Mr Devenish said the council had “listened to feedback from our community about how the space can be best enjoyed by all”.

“We are working closely with key stakeholders on some elements of the playspace that could be improved to enhance the experience for all users,” he said.

Councillor Phillip Martin said he had been asking questions “about this fiasco for months”.

SWINGS: Bark chips around swings are unsuitable for wheelchairs. The area behind one swing needs to be filled in to enable parents in wheelchairs to play with their children. Picture: Sarah Reed

“People tell me wheelchairs get stuck in the trampolines and they worry about the potential for people, especially with visual impairment, to come to grief at the water play feature,” he said.

“ We need to find out what lessons there are to be learned from this blunder. Even in a council that seems to find a new way to embarrass itself every week this whole episode is a serious embarrassment.”