Gold Coast City Council Planning Two Mega-Parks In City’s North And Hinterland

TWO massive Broadwater-style parks are planned for the city’s north and south.

The Gold Coast City Council is yet to decide on sites for the new parklands but it is understood Mudgeeraba and Pimpama are the most likely.

It is estimated each park will take about four years to build.

While costs are yet to be finalised, they will come with a hefty price tag.

Stage three of the Broadwater Parklands cost $10.6 million with a further $1.8 million spent each year maintaining the area.

Council will spend $77.3 million on the region’s parks this financial year.

Plans have been made to space the giant parks out across the region as widely as possible.

The city already has the Broadwater Parklands at Southport and the Palm Beach Parklands which contains the Pirate’s Playground to the south, so the Hinterland and the northern suburbs are the most likely sites for the new ones.

Mischa Stenton at the Broadwater Parkland’s jumping pillow. Picture: Richard Gosling

The push to build the mega parks comes after a citywide survey found one of the top three wishes of residents was more “destination” style parks as an alternative to the beach or the Hinterland, particularly in areas where the population was growing fastest.

Mudgeeraba councillor Glenn Tozer said he had been talking to council officers for quite some time about expanding the Hinterland Regional Park to offer more variety apart frombush walking trails.

It is understood the large park could include playground areas to give a more family feel.

Bushwalking trails would still be considered.

“We are more inclined to jump off from the natural sites that we have in the area,” Cr Tozer said.

In the north, the council has two considerable parcels of land, at Yawalpa Road, Pimpama and Amity Road, Coomera.

Pimpama councillor Donna Gates said plans for both these areas were under way.

“I wish they would hurry up,” she said.

Cr Gates said it was conceivable they could be turned into giant parks with lots of variety to cater for the increasing population.

The council recently revealed plans to expand Damian Leeding Park at Coomera to include council-owned land at Regatta Waters which will be turned into sporting fields and additional parkland.

Mayor Tom Tate said the survey showed how much Gold Coast loved the open spaces.

The city has more than 2200 parks.

“People want to see more destination parks built, such as Pirates Playground in Palm Beach and the Broadwater Parklands development,” he said.

“As our city grows, the way we use our parks is changing.

“We need to work together to ensure everyone can enjoy them in the future.”

Cr Tate said the survey found people wanted more shade in their parks as well as cleaner toilets.

Council will spend $2 million over the next year to improve toilet facilities and plant 1000 trees in parks, playgrounds and along streets.

Gold Coast parks have 380 barbecues, 250 public toilets, 250km of walking and cycling paths, 720 picnic shelters, 200 sporting clubs and 250 sporting fields.

Source: Gold Coast Bulletin 6 December 2016

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