Malak to receive $3.5 million recreational playground

Sandwiched between a northern suburbs primary school and a football club, the City of Darwin council has unveiled its vision to build a new recreational playground and is calling on the public to get involved in the design process. See for details.

City of Darwin is seeking input into the design of a new inclusive and accessible recreation space in the Waters Ward that will cater to the diverse needs of our community and transform our suburbs. Source: City of Darwin.

A weighty $3.5 million has been committed to build a new recreational space in the northern suburbs, with the City of Darwin council inviting residents to get involved in the design process.

This week, City of Darwin announced a multi-generational playground would be built between Malak Primary School and Malak Oval.

Sandwiched between Darwin Olympic Sporting Club and the school, it is also expected that new lightning, pathways, car parks and public toilets will be built alongside the multimillion-dollar playground.

City of Darwin chief executive Simone Saunders said the aim was to create greater community engagement.

“We want to see people of all ages be able to come down – grandparents bring down their grandkids, and really enjoy this space,” she said.

“There’s also the opportunity to activate this space with the sporting oval here, more car parks, some pathways and beautiful green belts where you can ride to access this area.”

Left to right: Councillor Sylvia Klonaris, chief executive Simone Saunders and Councillor Kim Farrar. Picture: Harry Brill.

Councillor Kim Farrar said the project would be a “positive” addition to the area.

“It’s about bringing the community together, this area here already has a fantastic community centre,” she said.

“We have the oval here where soccer is played, it’s in the green belt so people can walk here, so (this) is what we want.”

Ms Saunders said the build would most likely happen early in the 2026 Dry Season, following the finalisation of the design concept.

“This is an area that has been chosen for some preliminary stakeholder engagement, however if the community has another idea, part of the engagement is to tell us what you would like to see,” she said.

Engagement closes September 30, 2024.

To have your say, visit engage.darwin.nt.gov.au/waters-ward-multigenerational-recreation-space