Dry and lifeless ... but council’s working toward a solution

During these warmer months, it is a paddock of severely dry grass, dirt, cement and depleted supplies of bark chip under play equipment.

In winter, the families say it turns into a pit of sticks and mud.

After several years of complaints to council, families ramped up their campaign for better park maintenance over the festive period.

And it has worked, with Edward River Council now promising to address the lack of watering as soon as possible.

The news will be welcomed by Jessica Gomm, who said she has been making requests to council for park improvements since she moved to Laman Crt six years ago.

She said having the park directly opposite their home was one of the primary reasons they chose to live there with their young family.

But instead of being a pleasant place for her children to spend their time, it’s been problematic, and now an eyesore so filled with prickles, she is reluctant to let her kids play there.

“I moved here six years ago, and that’s when I made my first complaint to council,” she said.

“I took the kids over to play, but the drop at the end of the slide is about 1m and not very safe.

“It took a few months for more bark to be brought in, but it still didn’t really fix the problem.

“The council will come and mow every few months, but the neighbourhood has been weeding, cleaning up rubbish and trying to water.

“One of the Harfleur St residents, who all the kids call Aunty Heidi, has been encouraging the kids to help, organising rubbish clean up days.

“When we switched to the three bins, the neighbourhood asked if we could keep one of the old ones.

“It’s chained to a tree so we now have a bin, but the residents have to take it to the tip ourselves.”

Ms Gomm said the park needs more than regular watering.

Said the prickles are out of control, the partly metal and poorly designed play equipment needs updating, and lighting should be installed to extend playtime and act as a deterrent for vandalism.

She said CCTV would also be welcomed as an extra deterrent.

“We just want a nice and safe space for our children to play,” she said.

“There’s at least 20 kids who would use the park regularly, if it was maintained properly.

“And Townsend Park around the corner isn’t much better, although it at least has green grass.

“If we can keep our own lawns greens, why can’t council keep our park green?

“The park was a selling point when we moved here because parks gives our children freedom - it keeps them from being inside with devices all the time.

“But right now, it’s not a great place to play.”

Fellow west Deniliquin resident Ritchy Alpen has also been vocal about the state of the park on social media.

He pointed out that while there is an irrigation sprinkler system in the park, it seems it has not been turned on for some time.

Edward River Council CEO Jack Bond told the Pastoral Times this week there have been issues with getting water to the site in the past, and council is working to rectify the issue as soon as possible.

“Edward River Council has taken on full responsibility of Tennant Park since the association between the Department of Housing, Aboriginal Lands Council and the former Deniliquin Council was dissolved a number of years ago.

“Vegetation maintenance is undertaken on an as-needs basis and ERC is responsible for watering, which has taken place in the past via an in-ground watering system.

“However, since water main works were undertaken in the area, there is insufficient water pressure to activate the in-ground system and we are currently seeking a solution.

“Discussion and investigations have already taken place, and council staff are working towards a solution which will involve upgrades to ensure adequate water supply to activate the irrigation system.

“We are also reviewing infrastructure requirements as part of a long term strategy.”

The Pastoral Times understands further discussion about park maintenance may be raised at the February council meeting.