Kids launch campaign to return ‘big kids’ equipment to Weather Station Park
Two Airport West primary school students have called on Moonee Valley Council to fix their local park, saying a playground upgrade has made it “no fun at all” without equipment for older children. This is the response they got.
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Two primary school students are calling out the council for turning their much loved playground into a place for babies.
Weather Station Park in Airport West received a $150,000 upgrade two years ago as part of Moonee Valley Council’s Playground Renewal Program.
The upgrade saw much of the existing play equipment removed and replaced with new equipment.
But Tyler, 7, said the upgrade had ruined the park.
“It used to be our favourite park, we used to go with all our cousins and now its shrunk into a little kids park and we can’t use it anymore,” he said.
His sister Olivia, 11, said some of the new equipment was already broken.
“It’s supposed to be bigger equipment and it’s baby size, it’s not fun at all,” she said.
Olivia started a petition at St Christopher’s Primary School to get primary school-aged equipment built at the park and was encouraged by her teacher to submit it to the council.
The petition garnered 17 signatures from her friends at the school.
The pair said they would like to see bigger, taller slides and more “older kids” swings.
“There’s nothing to do there now and it’s sad,” Olivia said.
Mother Adriana Thomas said her children were “devastated” when the park upgrade was revealed.
“We’re so disappointed they spent so much money on the park and we don’t see any value,” she said.
Ms Thomas she now had to take her children as far as Sunshine, Keilor or Port Melbourne to play at a decent park that had enough equipment suited for older kids.
“It makes me sad, we would love to go to one that’s local but we’re having to get in the car and drive, we can’t just get on the bike,” she said.
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The council raised the petition at its October 22 meeting but decided the park did not need to be changed.
Moonee Valley Mayor Samantha Byrne said the park had a range of playground equipment that catered for all age groups.
“The playground features a swing frame and overhead and combination climbing units, which are specifically aimed at primary school-aged students,” she said.