Ringwood Lake Park: Calls for new soundshell, more security and parking

UPDATE: An outer east council says it could be two to three years before there’s changes to a popular park, which readers have called a “dangerous place in the morning”.

Readers have called for a string of improvements to Ringwood Lake Park. Picture: Penny Stephens.

UPDATE: Major upgrades might not be carried out at Ringwood Lake Park for several years, despite strong safety concerns from users.

But Maroondah Council has promised the community will be able to have their say when it eventually implements its masterplan at the park.

Leader this week revealed the council’s wishlist for $2.2 million of infrastructure upgrades at the park, including a new footbridge, a new or revamped soundshell and better lighting. as part of the broader Ringwood Metropolitan Activity Centre masterplan.

Mayor Kylie Spears said design and timing for the projects would be undertaken as part of a separate masterplan for the lake “in the next two to three years”.

“As part of the masterplan development, council will undertake community engagement to

ensure the community has their chance to have a say on the future enhancement of the

park,” she said.

Cr Spears told Leader she felt the soundshell upgrade should be prioritised and had potential to be an even better asset to the community.

“It (the soundshell) is most definitely ready for an upgrade,” she said.
“We’ve had some fantastic functions there, and particularly with COVID, we might be able to utilise it more than we have, because our outdoor space is able to used more than our indoor space at the minute.

“I’ve seen kids get up there and do concerts in front of mum and dad, and you want that to still be the case, we don’t want it to be closed off.”

Readers had their say on what improvements they would like to see at Ringwood Lake Park on the Maroondah Leader and the Ringwood and District Historical Society Facebook pages.

The park has been previously plagued by boozy after-dark gatherings and anti-social behaviour, and Paul Cooper pleaded for more security.

“I was down a couple of years ago and nearly got mugged by a group of homeless drug addicts … dangerous place early in the morning,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Beth Skurrie called for fencing between the playground and the water.

“With two kids who are still young enough to drown themselves, visiting the playground can be stressful trying to make sure they’re both in view and above water!” she wrote.

Parking at the lake was also a hot issue, with Linda JZ, Graham Leadbeater and Garry McLennan calling for more spots, particularly with the old Daisey’s Hotel carpark gone.

Other suggestions included the return of the park’s old steam train, a coffee shop near the lake, a water feature, more fish, and for the footbridge to be painted red.