Safer play for locals and visitors at the Texas All Abilities Park

The installation of new rubber softfall at the All Abilities Park in Texas means safer play for locals and visitors.

Goondiwindi Regional Council has replaced and extended about 200m2 of softfall surface under and around the park’s play equipment. Council allocated $50,000 from the State Government’s 2020-2021 COVID Works For Queensland (W4Q) funding towards the work.

Councillor Lachlan Brennan holds Council’s portfolio for parks and gardens and said he was pleased to see yet another park safety upgrade in the region funded by the W4Q program.

“Our region’s public parks and gardens are really valued by so many residents and visitors alike,” Cr Brennan said. “Council in particular prides itself on maintaining these facilities to the highest standard, and I think the Goondiwindi Region really has a reputation for great parks and public spaces.”

Softfall surface is installed throughout many of Council’s parks and is designed and installed to prevent injuries from falls, particularly head injuries. The Texas project was prioritised due to the age and deterioration of the existing softfall material at the All Abilities Park.

“Safety upgrades across several parks in the region were a real priority for Council with this round of W4Q funding,” Cr Brennan said. “This year, Council has committed $2 million of its Budget to maintain and upgrade parks and gardens across the region, which includes park equipment and facility upgrades as well as town beautification.

“These investments will not only provide a safer environment for all users of the park, but they’ll also reduce the need for future maintenance, which will reduce Council costs. And this means ratepayer dollars can be put to other projects in the region.”

Council manages 25 parks and gardens across the Goondiwindi Region. The project complements several other recent park safety upgrades funded by W4Q, including the complete enclosure of Sandhurst Street Park in steel pool fencing to provide a large, safe area for families to enjoy.

The work also complements a range of upgrades to Texas community facilities with benefits to the town’s visitor economy, including the installation of two new picnic shelters and the replacement of current tables and chairs at the Avon Street rest area, and the construction of a new footpath from the popular Dumaresq free campground to the Texas CBD.

The All Abilities Park is located on Broadway East and provides accessible toilet facilities, a sheltered picnic table and barbecue area, seating and a perimeter fence for safety. The playground is designed with children of all needs and abilities in mind and features a sensory sand and water play area, sensory plantings, a flying fox with harness, swings, open play areas and a climbing net.