Council has begun developing two sketch designs for the new inclusive playspace at Apex Park Playground. As part of the State Government's election commitments, Council is fortunate to have received $60,000 in grant funding through the Department of Transport and Infrastructure's Community Infrastructure Grants Program.

We want to hear from you, to help guide the development of these sketch designs into a fun, inspiring and inclusive playspace for our community.

Complete survey now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3WTXRMZ

Sketch Design 1: The Rivers 3

Deriving from the three Rivers that run through Gawler, the Apex Park Playground Inclusive Playspace reflects upon the importance of water to the area, both past and present.

The new accessible walkway represents Para River, connecting the existing two main entrances to four new inclusive play zones, which sit along the banks of the walkway like mini billabongs. Each billabong targets several types of play, to help encourage a variety of play experiences for all ages and abilities.

Destination 1 // The Dry Creek
This zone includes a water play area, with feature carved boulders and three water channels, creating an opportunity for group or individual play, for a variety of ages and abilities.

Destination 2 // The Music Arena
This zone houses one half of the talk tube, a ‘4 note drum set’ and the six giant chimes, grouped parallel to the existing playspace so not to impose on the quieter retreat spaces. This variety of instruments enables physical inclusion, sensory stimulation, self-expression, and social interaction.

Destination 3 // Bee Cubby
This zone includes a bee cubby house, which sits within a bed of pollen producing plants. In and around this area, is an array of metal bee and honeycomb cut outs and symbols, as clues to the supporting pollen supplying plants.

Destination 4 // The Butterfly Retreat
This zone provides a sheltered refuge space, that is surrounded by butterfly attracting plants to encourage sensory regulation and quiet and/or reflective play.

Access

Along the walkway sits a lily pad of paving, which acts as a threshold point into the inclusive playground, as well as allowing for connection beyond the site area to existing facilities. Within this space sits a ‘weather activity panel’, which references the story of our ever-changing environment and the importance of water.

Natural Shade

The entire space is surrounded by dense lowline planting, providing an informal safety barrier between the playspace and the park, whilst also accommodating strong sightlines through the space. Due to the existing tree canopy and the recent shade shelter to the north, the site is significantly sheltered from the sun and only requires a few new trees, to alleviate the remaining exposed areas.

Seating

A series of seating types is littered throughout the area from custom planed lay-down log seating, with inlaid steel animal cut-outs, and large rock seating throughout. This allows for a variety of flexible play and education rest stops.

Sketch Design 2: Our Paddock

Deriving from Gawler’s original European regional settlement, the playground space recognises the founding settlers who worked with the Kaurna people to understand the land for productive means.

Traditionally using the river junction as a meeting place to trade commodities, the playground reflects the varied commodity types from cereals, to pulses and oilseeds.

Destination 1 // Central Paddock
A central paddock of rubber, houses a multiuser wheelchair accessible tractor, pulling through mini rubber mounds of wheat crops. Either side of the wide circulation space, sits two open arbors, which host a play panel on each, including a weather station and a braille alphabet panel. Along the northern paddock edge is a upright stilt-walk, to encourage upper body strength and balance. Either side of the central playspace, sits two supporting playspaces: the sensory walk and the butterfly retreat.

Destination 2 // The Sensory Walk
The sensory walk is a 1m wide concrete path with three textural surface changes. This space includes a variety of sensory plants in different sizes and heights and hosts two talking tubes, to encourage moments of integration and passive play.

Destination 3 // The Butterfly Retreat
This zone provides a sheltered refuge space, that is surrounded by butterfly attracting plants to encourage sensory regulation and quiet and/or reflective play. Two mini softscape mounds help enhance seclusion and encourage sensory regulation and quiet and/reflective play. Pinned in and around this area, as well as the sensory walk, is an array of metal butterfly cut outs and symbols, as clues to the supporting nectar and host supplying plants.

Access

A new accessible asphalt pathway connects into the surrounding walkways and existing public facilities, linking the playspace with the existing playground, the toilet facility, carparking and other amenities along Julian Terrace.

Natural Shade

The entire space is surrounded by dense lowline planting, providing an informal safety barrier between the playspace and the park, whilst also accommodating strong sightlines through the space. Due to the existing tree canopy and the recent shade shelter to the north, the site is significantly sheltered from the sun and only requires a few new trees, to alleviate the remaining exposed areas.

Seating

A series of seating types is littered throughout the area from custom planed lay-down log seating, with inlaid steel animal cut-outs, and large rock seating throughout. This allows for a variety of flexible play and education rest stops.