Park upgrades help families stay happy and healthy

The City of Logan is home to more than 940 parks and reserves and Logan City Council is more than six months into a major drive to ensure new and upgraded facilities are functional, innovative, safe and family friendly. 

The works are across 17 different projects in 15 suburbs.

Popular features include basketball half-courts, ninja fitness courses, adventure playgrounds, flying foxes, dry creek beds and playful swings and slides – with many covered by colourful shade sails.

Barbecues, picnic shelters and water bubblers are among the upgrades as are dog off-leash areas and dog waste bins.

Council’s commitment to providing access to all abilities also is reflected in the new designs, seating and landscaping.

City Lifestyle Chair, Councillor Laurie Koranski said many of the upgrades to parks over the last six months were on top of works done to clean, repair and rehabilitate parks impacted by floods last year.

“Parks are vitally important to the outdoor lifestyle many of our residents and families love and enjoy,” Cr Koranski said.

“A lot of research and planning goes into the design of new and upgraded additions to our parks and the benefit of that work comes when we see so many people enjoying these wonderful facilities.”

Recently completed and ongoing parks projects in the City of Logan include:    Flindersia Riverside Park (Halcyon Way, Logan Reserve): A new $4.6million park is being constructed to service the growing Logan Reserve community. The park includes large playgrounds, flying fox, public toilets, picnic shelters, barbecues and a half basketball court, with views over the Logan River. It is scheduled to open in a few months.

Alexander Clark Park (Dewar Dve, Loganholme): A $6.34 million upgrade will start later this year. The existing playground and water play area will be upgraded with a new play tower and a flying fox also to be installed. Other works include an active sports area with basketball and volleyball courts, table tennis equipment, a multi-purpose open space, additional parking and upgrades to toilet facilities and walking tracks.   Riverdale Park (Armstrong Road, Meadowbrook): This major park will undergo a $2.5million staged upgrade to replace the playground, exercise equipment, picnic shelters and barbecue facilities.    Lavelle Park (Argyle Rd, Greenbank): A massive makeover saw the installation of new barbecues, picnic settings and seatings, a basketball half court, a range of new play equipment with shade sails, a new disability parking bay with a connecting pathway and the extension of the existing car park.

Barber Court Reserve (Barber Court, Waterford): New equipment includes an eye-catching fairy-tale train play unit and dinosaur-themed rocker. A new bench seat has been added while the existing gazebo, picnic setting, seating and shade sails have been refurbished.

Logan Gardens (Civic Parade, Logan Central): Shade sails have been added to cover the new junior playground opened last year alongside the popular water play area.

Springwood Park (Cinderella Dr, Springwood): A new Dog Off Leash Area, car park and public toilet have been constructed, with the next stage of works to include the replacement and upgrade of the internal ring road to provide additional parking and lighting. 

Spring Mountain Reserve (Tully Connection Road, Greenbank): Stage 1 of the project includes sealing the existing gravel carpark and designating 23 parking bays, including two accessible parking bays and two horse float truck parking bays. This stage also includes new line marking, signs, new trees and a small section of concrete path connecting to the existing footpath to make the car park accessible for all.

Crestmead Skate Park (Gimlet St, Crestmead): A $800,000 upgrade has delivered new ramps, jumps and 1800mm high quarter pipes. New lighting and a drinking fountain are on the way.

Glenlogan Lakes Park (St Jude Circuit, Glenlogan): A $400,000 upgrade will provide almost a kilometre of concrete footpaths replacing existing gravel pathways to ensure this park can be enjoyed year-round.

Collie Park (Collie Street, Shailer Park): A new playground will be installed including a play fort/treehouse, spring rocker, spinning seesaw, activity net and double swing along with a new shelter and seating. 

Punter Park (Crest Rd, Greenbank): A new double swing, sand digger and play fort have replaced existing equipment while a new footpath, drinking fountain and bins were also installed.     Estramina Park (Estramina Rd, Regents Park): New pathways and handrails have been installed to help improve accessibility while additional landscaping was also completed.

Emerald Park (Crest St, Beenleigh): An upgrade includes the installation of installation of a new play fort, springer, swing, and seesaw.

Pinnington Park (Augusta Street, Crestmead): A colourful ninja fitness course has been installed with climbing, swinging and running challenges over the top of rubber soft-fall matting.

Mountain View Park, (Deen Street, Rochedale South): A new play fort will be installed along with springer play seat, swing and seesaw. New fencing will also be erected.  

St James Park (St James Circuit, Heritage Park): A new bridge will be constructed over the waterway.