A beloved playground in Berwick is getting a significant overhaul, as $700,000 has been pledged by the City of Casey for its upgrades.
Pioneer Park, located just off Lyall Road and Peel Street near Berwick’s High Street, is a common spot for local families and residents alike.
Combined with the attraction that the nearby Primary at Pioneers cafe gets, there’s no question that the area has become a cradle for younger families, especially with little ones who love to move around.
The City of Casey’s mayor, Stefan Koomen, recently posted on Facebook that the community consultation period for the park is open until 6 July, asking netizens and locals what features they would like to see in the new playground.
For cafe owners Kerryn and Zach, both said that facilities for “all ages, all abilities, that everyone can use would be nice”.
“Sometimes the big hill in the middle can be a bit tough for parents to get up on, and it can get slippery too,” they both said.
“We want something that is accessible for parents and everyone to come get their little ones on.”
Overall, however, the announcement has been exciting for the owners, with both remarking that the current playground just a few metres away is “very outdated”.
“We get a lot of parents saying that it’s not very safe being this old.
“Some extra space for all the kids, not just customers from the cafe but everyone here, would be amazing, for people picnicking and whatnot.”
The park itself is a go-to destination for residents in Berwick, with both Kerryn and Zach seeing weekends fill the green open spaces and the playground with children.
“The cafe itself does 600 people on a Sunday, but out there, if it’s sunny?” Kerryn said.
“These are young families, they’ve got their kids running around, so getting them an upgraded play space will be great.”
Berwick Village is going through a series of changes, with community consultation periods for the council’s draft plan on My Berwick Village happening in Pioneer Park on Saturday, 28 June from 12pm to 3pm, as well as Wednesday 9 July in High Street from 12pm to 2pm.
