Marrickville Council completes playground remediation

Marrickville Council’s successful remediation of Denison Road Playground in Dulwich Hill is complete, meaning the long-awaited community garden can now proceed.

The remediated playground will be unveiled by Deputy Mayor Councillor Emanuel Tsardoulias on Saturday 10 August at 10 am, where Councillor Tsardoulias will install the first plant in the garden bed.

Council has worked closely with the local community on the project, in particular the Denison Road Community Garden Working Party. The project has a long history, with suggestions first raised for a community garden on the site as far back as 2001. The current works date to a community garden application from the working party in July 2009. In February 2010, Council voted unanimously to provide support for the project and pledged $30,000 to fund it.

After site contamination issues were identified, a Plan of Management was developed and implemented, and a Development Application was lodged.

Remediation works commenced 2013. The project involved collaborations between several Council sections, including Design and Investigations, who handled start-up, planning, the Plan of Management, DA application and design and construction; and Culture and Recreation, who oversaw licensing.

Council’s Environmental Services division gave advice, assisted with community consultations and involvement, and provided a $4000 2013 Sustainability Small Grant which went towards the purchase of a shed, gardening tools, soil, mulch and materials. Paving for the project utilised bricks salvaged from the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre refurbishment.

The total cost of $115,000 includes $85,000 for remediation and landscape, and $30,000 for planning and investigations.

The Denison Road Playground community garden will be Council’s ninth (and the second on Council land). The others are Marrickville West Community Garden, Addison Road Community Garden, Wilkins School Community Garden, Cottage in the Graveyard Community Garden, All Saints Community Garden (Pete’s Patch), Turtle Lane Community Garden, Camdenville Paddock Community Garden, and Francis Street Community Garden.

“Community gardens reflect so many of Marrickville Council’s goals for their residents,” said the Mayor of Marrickville, Councillor Victor Macri.

“They bring people together, providing food for their tables but also sustenance for their spirits. The working party has told us how their children will benefit from planting, nurturing and ultimately harvesting food - and how the adults are more connected to their local community through this experience.”