Ashburton Domain’s ‘adhoc’ playground not up to standard
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton Domain's popular playground may have to be rebuilt because it’s been described as an adhoc setup - and its raised wooden edging may be dangerous.
Park Central, the national playground compliance specialists, have completed an audit of the Ashburton District Council’s playgrounds and they’ve recommended the entire Ashburton Domain playground be “reviewed and an overall plan/design is put in place”.
The report states that various playground items and equipment “have been added into the play space in an adhoc manner” and “the surfaces are scattered through the area without any cohesion”.
Its raised wooden edging was an accessibility issue, while the use of bark chip mulch was not a modern children’s landing option.
The Ashburton District Council’s 30-year Ashburton Domain redevelopment, signed off in 2020, already lays out plans for an overhaul.
“Staff are in discussions with the playground inspector and designers,” council community services group manager, Steve Fabish, said.
There’s no timeframe or budget because that would be part of the upcoming activity management plan and long-term plan processes, he said.
The audit would factor that planning into any changes, which could see the upgrade brought forward, he said.
“Possibly, but the overall priority status of general district-wide requirements in playgrounds shall influence the timeline.”
The Ashburton Domain was joined by nine other locations recommended for a full renewal, including the Methven, Rakaia, and Tinwald Domains.
The report assessed 229 individual play assets at 28 district sites, excluding the Lake Clearwater playground, which was unable to be accessed due to bad weather at the time.
The council’s playground assets were valued at $4,001,800 and all equipment was measured against various standards depending on when it was installed, with 93 items being non-compliant.
There were 139 maintenance issues requiring attention at an estimated cost of $40,710, which Fabish said would be addressed this year.
He also said that improving accessibility in all playgrounds was a work in progress.
“Staff will implement changes when and where possible and in conjunction with other site works.”
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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62.4% Summer
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36.1% Winter
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
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