The ACT Government is building a new recreation park in Casey to provide a wider range of outdoor recreation opportunities for local residents and contribute to the health and wellbeing of the community.

Engagement was undertaken with both community and stakeholders with feedback invited on indicative designs and elements for inclusions.

The indicative designs reflect the recreation and play priorities of the community and feature:

• toilet facilities, shade structures, a barbecue and picnic tables to support longer visits to the park
• all abilities play equipment, a multi-purpose court, nature play and a flying fox to cater to a broad range of ages and abilities
• a grassed amphitheatre and irrigated green open space for general recreation.

We heard protecting the existing natural environment is important to the community. The indicative designs reflect this by retaining existing trees and understorey plantings and maintaining them as conservation areas into the future. Additional environmental investigations are also underway to ensure other significant ecological communities on the site are adequately protected. Pending these investigations, the placement of play elements may be revised.

The indicative master plan identifies where additional recreation facilities such as a micro forest, community garden and BMX pump track could be located should further funding become available.

The Casey community recreation park will be located at the open space bounded by Plimsoll Drive and Yeend Avenue.

The community recreation park will be an important high-quality addition to the recreation facilities currently available in Casey, which includes six modern playgrounds and an off-leash dog park. It will also complement existing and future recreation facilities in the Gungahlin region more broadly.

The Casey community recreation park will expand opportunities for outdoor recreation for people of all ages and abilities, catering to locals as well as attracting residents from a larger catchment.

Feedback from the community and stakeholders was used to refine and finalise the design for the new community recreation park in Casey ahead of construction commencing in 2023.