Port Adelaide Enfield will look at adding a new slide to an Oakden playground after ‘ongoing feedback’

A suburban playground that received a costly upgrade has set chins wagging for one particular reason. Have your say.

Luca playing on the playground at Roy Amer Reserve in Oakden, where the lack of stairs to a slide is the cause of ongoing complaints from parents.

A slide with no stairs at an Oakden playground is the cause of ongoing gripes to Port Adelaide Enfield Council, forcing it to consider spending $17,750 on new equipment.

Roy Amer Reserve, on Sir Ross Smith Boulevard, underwent $274,986 of upgrades last year and included a climbing net and slide to encourage more imaginative play.

The Oakden playground has no stairs making it difficult for younger children to get to the top of the slide. Luca looking up to where he’d rather be. Picture: Matt Loxton

It followed community consultation with kids and adults, which found a desire for the playground to have more “challenging features” for older children and teenagers.

However, since its upgrade the council has received “ongoing community feedback” regarding the accessibility of the slide for children four years and under.

Council meeting documents from July 9 detailed “many parents and grandparents have voiced their frustration over their children’s inability or difficultly to access the slide, and have requested the installation of a ladder to make the slide more accessible”.

Hillcrest resident Sherryl Connelly visits the park twice a week with her grandson Luca, 4, and had been eagerly awaiting its upgrade until it was revealed.

“I couldn’t believe it when we first came here, it (the slide) was quite confronting,” Ms Connelly said.

GOT THERE: Luca at the bottom of the slide. Picture: Matt Loxton

‘It’s a safety issue for smaller children’. Picture: Matt Loxton

She said she made a complaint to the council as “it’s a safety issue for smaller children”.

“I don’t normally give feedback, but I was just so disappointed. We’ve been coming here since Luca was in a pram,” she said.

“It’s a growing community and there’s a lot of kids kindy age or younger. You’d think they could’ve put in a second slide or a ladder when they first built it.

“You can see how much Luca has had to stretch to get onto the slide and he’s four-and-a-half. He’s only had the confidence this week to climb it himself.”

Luca stretching out to reach the slide at Roy Amer Reserve. Picture: Matt Loxton

The council report stated it had investigated adding a ladder, but designers Kaebel Leisure said it would render the play element non-compliant with Australian safety standards.

The council has proposed installing a new junior slide, at a cost of $17,750.

This would be in addition to a council-endorsed budget of $95,000 to refurbish park furniture across Roy Amer Reserve this financial year.

Elected members agreed for the slide funding to be considered as part of the next budget review for inclusion in the 2024/2025 capital works program.