Celebrations for Waterlily Park opening

Published on 13 August 2019

It was a celebration of community for the official opening of an upgrade to Waterlily Park at Ocean Shores on Sunday 11 August.

Improvements to the park were made possible via a $418,608 grant from the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund, and in-kind support and complementary open-space and resource recovery projects from Byron Shire Council.  Council also invested in an outdoor exercise gym.

This is such a wonderful example of a project that started with some local residents seeing huge potential for improvements at their local park,” Byron Shire Mayor, Simon Richardson said.

“Waterlily Park is now a child’s dream play area with an amazing tree house, rope climbing nets, a see saw and slippery dip.

“This playground is about kids being kids – getting away from their screens, getting outside in the fresh air and using their imaginations.

“One of the best features of the upgraded park is the installation of an ‘all abilities’ flying fox which allows children with disability to experience the thrill of moving through the air,” Mayor Richardson said.

“The Ocean Shores community should be very proud of this park, and thanks must go to the hard working members of the Waterlily Park Playscape committee who have worked alongside Council staff to realise this dream.

President of the Waterlily Park Playscape, Helen Graveson, thanked Byron Shire Council staff for their work on the grant application and said the investment in Waterlily Park was welcomed by the local community.

“To receive almost half a million dollars from the NSW Government for this project was absolutely wonderful and the park we have now is getting children, and their families, outdoors, enjoying themselves and getting to know their neighbours at the same time,” Ms Graveson said.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said the Stronger Country Communities Fund was created to deliver infrastructure that improved the lives of local residents and the upgraded Waterlily Park is one of the hundreds of projects almost complete and being delivered across regional NSW.

“I congratulate the Byron Shire Council on its funding win and commitment to this wonderful project, which will no doubt become even more popular by the time the warmer weather arrives,” Mr Barilaro said.

“What better way for this grant to be spent than on improving facilities which encourage children of all abilities and their families to get active outdoors and socialise in their local community.

“I’m pleased to confirm that work is underway on more than 1,000 Stronger Country Communities Fund projects right across regional NSW, with hundreds now close to completion.”

The Stronger Country Communities Fund is part of the $1.7 billion Regional Growth Fund, which together with the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund is delivering once-in-a-generation infrastructure that generates opportunities, investment and jobs, on top of the NSW Government’s $1.8 billion in drought support measures.

For further information and program guidelines, go to www.nsw.gov.au/SCCF

For more information about Waterlily Park go to www.waterlilyplayscape.org or call Helen Graveson from the Waterlily Park Playscape Committee on 0434 434 298.  Byron Shire Mayor, Simon Richardson, can be contacted on 0427 076 834.