Adventurous $3.7M build child’s play for Coast firm

A major hinterland project will be a worthy challenge for an experienced Coast playground builder.

Shane Hoogvliet and Samantha Sarma of Aspect Contractors have beaten two Brisbane companies for $3.7 million Cooroy adventure playground build. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Sunshine Coast playground specialists Aspect Contractors expect to have their work cut out for them as they build one of the firm's most ambitious projects to date.

The Rosemount company has beaten two Brisbane rivals for the tender to build Cooroy's $3.76 million adventure playground.

Aspect company manager Shane Hoogvliet said getting the nod from Noosa Council was a reward for the company's two decades of outstanding landscaping workmanship.

Local company in line for $3.7m playground build

Coast clinic chief promises jabs for allcomers

Mr Hoogvliet is excited by the challenge of the job with a tentative December finish date for the all-abilities, nature-based facility.

The project is seen by the council as a major hinterland economic generator.

The "risk-based" adventure playground beside the Cooroy Library in Maple St will include a double flying-fox, climbing tower with slide, climbing structures with swings, water play area, picnic shelters and an amenities block.

The Leslie Patrick Park built by Aspect.

"We always look forward to these interesting, out of the ordinary jobs," Mr Hoogvliet said.

"This is a bit of recognition for the hard work and the quality work you put out there.

"The playground equipment is going to be challenging in a way - we're going to have to hit the ground running with everything we've got.

"It's just going to be go, go, go because we do want to finish in a timely manner."

Mr Hoogvliet said while the project would be the company's first playground of such scale, playgrounds were "one of the staples of what we do".

He said the last major similar project his company had completed was the Leslie Patrick Park all-abilities play area in Arana Hills worth about $1.4 million.

"This won't be the biggest contract we've done - we did the major upgrade in the Hastings St streetscape," Mr Hoogvliet said.

"We've also done a couple of stages of the streetscape down at Bulcock St in Caloundra, the Beerwah streetscape and a couple of stages of the Coolum streetscape," he said.

 

Shane Hoogvliet and Samantha Sarma of Aspect Contractors have beaten two Brisbane companies for $3.7 million Cooroy adventure playground build. Picture: Patrick Woods.

 

Other projects include the Dick Caplick Park in Eumundi and the Coast hinterland's Mary Caincross Park and Buderim District Park.

Mr Hoogvliet said tthe Cooroy playground would be something new and exciting for the Sunshine Coast.

He said the Aspect workforce fluctuated with its project schedule.

"At our busiest we can have six or seven foreman running six or seven jobs at one time," he said.

"Something of this size we'll have two foremen on the ground at all times.

An overhead shot of the Leslie Patrick park built by Aspect Contractors in Arana Hills.

"We have our own machines and operators with two or three machines operating on site with labourers and the local subcontractors we'll use," Mr Hoogvliet said.

A council consultant's report said the major capital works spend could generate $1.2 million a year as a regional drawcard.

An estimated 28 full-time jobs would be generated during construction, with 17 permanent jobs created - 11 directly associated with the playground operation and six from "the flow on effects".

Council acting infrastructure services director Bryan O'Connor said Aspect was highly capable and well-resourced to do the job.

Mayor Clare Stewart said the council was also thrilled to receive $2.78 million from the State Government toward the cost of delivering the "exciting one-of-a-kind facility for our community".

Originally published as