The draft ACT Play Space Strategy is informed by community feedback

The ACT community takes a keen interest in our play spaces. In recent years the ACT Government has undertaken a range of community engagement initiatives to understand what Canberrans value about play spaces and their priorities for the future of the play space network.

Over 5,500 community members have contributed to play space studies and extensive community engagement across multiple projects as part of the Play Spaces Improvement Program.

Based on these significant community engagements we understand that the ACT community wants a play space network that provides more:

• features that cater to the whole of lifespan
• inclusive play spaces
• diverse play experiences with higher play value
• encounters with nature
• challenge and risk
• amenity that facilitates social connection and longer time in play spaces
• creativity and unique feature

Children want:

• More challenging climbing structures or courses
• Water play
• Equipment and landscapes that create ‘play journeys’
• More engagement with nature, including flora, fauna and nature play
• Play spaces that cater to all ages and abilities.

Young people want:

• More challenge, including bike tracks, basketball courts, ninja/obstacle courses and flying foxes
• Hang out spaces, and spaces for quiet and for study
• Food and drink outlets.

Adults want:

• More engagement with nature and nature play
• Challenges like bike tracks and basketball
• Spaces to hang out, be quiet and study
• Shade, seating and path access
• More diverse and challenging (equipment and) experiences for older children.