Copacabana Parklands Project

Finally it is here, and it will be what it will be 👏🤞

It was always the intention to suggest we rename the Susan Fahey Park area at the same time it is renovated.

These things can be difficult for some and easy for others. It all depends on how the current name connects with the community (It is also why naming places after people is a risk as memories inevitably fade with different generations)

It has been raised a couple of times now from different sections of our community and it would be totally suitable that someone else run with this as part of a community effort towards the park upgrade.

The starting point is with the Geographical Names Board (not CC Council. Happy to assist anyone who wants help starting this process. Its certain that we have other options that have a closer connection to the greatest number

https://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/

This week you should have received a letter from CC Council seeking further feedback on how you would like the space to look, feel and be used. Your feedback is sought via a survey/vote, and the link is below

You may remember that I believed there was an accidental misinterpretation of the feedback council received at the surfclub consultation in 2019. For many years we had being speaking about a flat open space for active play, and when council asked what features you wanted in the upgrade, we provided suggestions that could be included around a large flat open space. Unfortunately , CC Council saw that feedback in isolation and that the flat open space wasn’t being sought. As such it wasn't included it in the concept plan that CC Council put forward (see link)

To test that theory, I posted an informal survey on the Chit Chat page a month or two ago. It was open for a few days and simply asked what your expectations were regarding a flat open space. The results were 99 responses with 89 supporting a flat open space. Ok – so the theory had some merit

We spoke with Council representatives who willingly listened to the theory but were reluctant to change their position however to their credit, this survey/vote asks the question.

AN IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE: CC Council are negotiating with the Dept of Education (asset manager) to share their oval as a potential shared public space. Obviously this provides an option with regards to open space HOWEVER the DoEd have not agreed to date and have many things to consider before any formal agreement can be considered (For the record, no pressure has been applied to the school by those seeking this park upgrade and we support the DoEd decision either way)

Please go inline at https://www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/Susan-Fahey-playspace?tool=survey_tool – a vote supporting an open space means that we will have that space be it through an agreement with the school, or a revisit to the Susan Fahey Park Concept Plan

Adam Richards

Susan Fahey Park playspace Central Coast Council, with joint funding from NSW Government, is building a new, inclusive and engaging district-sized playspace at Susan Fahey Park, Copacabana. A concept design plan has been developed following a round of community consultation that took place in September 2019 – where we asked...

So this is the first Concept Plan for the Susan Fahey park renovation. I will let you draw your own conclusions but I will share my early observations at the bottom

Central Coast Council provided a landscape design firm with the feedback obtained at the surf club consultation and the emailed feedback. Its worth remembering that school parents were unable to attend due to a school function on the same night

I contacted CC Council managers explaining that I believed they had missed the main point of renovating this space (however I must also accept that may just be my view) When this project was first touted 9 years ago it was to create an alternate open space to the beach, a space that could be used for ball games or active play and for people of all ages. Certainly BBQ's and elements of interest but not to the detriment of a flat open area.

Copacabana's topography means that few homes have a flat backyard. This space was to provide opportunities for everyone that weren't always geared towards the beach and water. This Concept appears to take what we already have and put some polish on it without providing any new opportunities

We are planning to press the importance of a second round of engagement, and that is where everyone can help at this point. Can I ask anyone with a constructive view to share in the comments of this post. We will be meeting with CC Council managers in the early new year and this will help press the case for another draft and consultation

Please share this post so as many families and residents can offer thoughts or alternatives. Again, lets keep the comments positive even if you are disagreeing with what has been put forward as I would like to share them at that meeting

Regards.... Adam

My comments on this draft.....

- the intention was always to create an open space where older kids (and adults) can be active. This draft offers no area that would achieve that
- the concept plan does not indicate much in the way of level changes (so no where is flat) This limits what can be played in the space
- the concept plan includes a playground that takes up valuable space, and does not specify the age group it is aimed at. We are fortunate to have a new younger persons playground (at Shaun Brinklow Park) and was hoping this space might appeal to older kids or provides an alternative for parents/grandparents to take kids
- The budget for this project is $400k and I dont see any real value in polishing what is already in place for that type of money. We just dont gain much

Just an update:

Tonights first community consultation session on the park upgrade went off well. The session was wholly lead by Central Coast Council and was a grass roots introduction to most of the possible options that a community could want in a park space. Attendee's were asked to leave comments on post-it notes to be collated for the next stage of the design process

It was attended by 20 people. Some may feel that is a small number but it is the simple reality of who was able to attend on the day. Another proposed project in Copacabana only had 30 attend the first consultation and that was 8 years ago (without the social media opportunities we have now). So not a big deal really

There was a school event on that kept many of the young families away tonight and its those people who we really want to hear from. Please take the opportunity to share your thoughts at the link below - do that at your earliest opportunity and also encourage your friends to do the same.

Any way you look at it, our park is underway 👍

Susan Fahey Park playspace Central Coast Council is building a new inclusive and engaging district-size playspace at Susan Fahey Park, Copacabana, as part of our commitment to creating inclusive and accessible facilities and spaces. This playspace will provide a wide variety of play opportunities for a range of ages, abilitie...

First consultation meeting starts in 1 hour at the surfclub

Be great to see a wide cross-section of local people and interests

Council led, community engagement session to be announced any day 👍🏼🥳

So CC Council allocated $500k in the capital expenditure budget to the Susan Fahey parkland upgrade

Not the entire half mil - some is allocated to the renewal of the toilets to make them public toilets, resurface the carpark, and earth works. The play space will get around $350k

Either way, great news and Council will be in touch soon to get consultation started. A playground (Brinklow) and a park in around 12 months - that's nothing to be unhappy about 🥳

There is some new information and some clarification on this project. We
won $200K from the state government through the Everyone Can Play
grants program.

Central Coast Council are looking at that area as a District Level Play-space.
Generally these have a standardised allocation of $300K. However Council is
aiming for a minimum of $400k for this space to achieve the best outcome.

Central Coast Council are now finalising their Capital Works Budget for 2019/2020 and have also reminded me they are working through a long list of projects. The suggestion is that public feedback will be sought later this year, maybe even early next year.

I am really pleased to be able to say that to date, the Council staff have been brilliant in their communication and sharing of up to date information with regard to this project.

This provides a bit of context to the grant we received.

www.planning.nsw.gov.au

After 8 years, a buzzillion emails, 3 councils and cast of thousands... we are away!!

State government has just tipped $200k into Central Coast Council to commence the upgrade of Susan Fahey Park, and for that we are super appreciative to Minister Anthony Roberts and MP Adam Crouch

How the final result will look, no one can say, but it’s an endorsed and supported promise that everyone who wants to share some ideas on this space will get the chance to do so.

Busy but exciting times ahead 👍🏼

Promising to only publish information when it becomes available, not much has come via this page for a while.

Hopefully that ends today!

I received advice from CC Council this week that funding for the upgrade to the Susan Fahey park space had made it past next financial year, first round budget allocations, with minimal fuss. A figure of $300K was suggested!

It was suggested to me (on good advice) that it would be a good idea to let Council know how beneficial and/or appreciative we would be to see this space ugraged to achieve the potential that it has. This type of input generally is well received

Below is the letter I recently sent to each Councillor, but you can address it to others such as CEO Gary Murphy or Director of Environment and Planning Scott Cox. Why not all of them, and lets get this amazing parkland project completed. Please share with friends in Copacabana

Send it to: [email protected] or look up the councillors and send your message of support to them. These are the actions that make the difference

Dear Councillors, Council Executive and the tireless Council staff

I was overwhelmed to receive the news that Council had considered allocating funding in next years budget to upgrade Susan Fahey Park in Copacabana. It is the best news I have heard in the near 8 years since first asking about this space.

As wonderful as Copacabana is, there is virtually zero flat space for our young people to be active, particularly the one's who don't necessarily thrive on the beach. Most backyards are on the side of a mountain.

The potential of this area between Copacabana Public School and the tennis courts is yet to be realised and would provide a significant open space where kids can kick a ball or grandparents can bring young grand kids (without having to worry about the mobility on the sand, and danger of the ocean) Families can have a BBQ or play a game of touch footy. The possibilities for this space are wide and varied and can include community gardens, flying fox or quiet areas of contemplation (when the balls fall silent)

Thank you for your support to date and can I encourage those who make the final decision to support this funding allocation. Once allocated, we as a community would support an engagement and feedback system that is considered, measurable and validated, to get the very best of peoples thoughts and ideas on this area

Kind Regards....