Recently we undertook an online survey of people who live around Light St Park. Our primary aim in doing so was to seek support, collect and canvas ideas so that our Park is maintained, enhanced with the amenities wanted. We distributed 500 flyers to the residents of Illume, R1, R2, R3, and sections of Evans Cr and Stuart St, inviting completion of the survey. It was open to complete from 9 April to 9 June and there were 41 survey respondents. The key themes are summarised below.
Survey Feedback Summary
The major feedback received are summarised as:
Light St Park is highly valued by all users and requires more and regular attention from the ACT Government.
The park is an important part of people's daily lives. Activities in the survey include:
Fitness / exercise area is frequented regularly.
Children’s playground (despite its deficiencies) is frequented regularly.
Various social gatherings by families, people who live with disability, teenagers & children have been observed (like Xmas parties, picnics, play activities -kite flying, bike riding etc.
Pets (dogs) and their dog owners are seen in the park regularly.
A common request was the desire to maintain the open greenspace and seek an upgrade of the Children's Playground equipment to make accessible, inclusive and safe.
Respondents asked for additional infrastructure needs – like additional trees for shading, including pollinator friendly plantings, additional seating, and showed strong support for a community sensory garden (with herbs).
Another theme was that the park remains pet friendly. Although there were some requests for an enclosed off-leash pet area, given the size of the park and the obvious space constraints, this cannot be accommodated; however, there is an off-leash dog area close by, at the Telopea Public School (900 m away) which allows weekend access to its enclosed grounds for responsible dog owners and their dogs.
The Following Survey Prompts Received Strong Support
Greenspace for play, leisure and relaxation (responses = 33)
Children's playground be made accessible, inclusive and safe (responses = 26)
Additional seat and shading areas were requested (responses = 27)
Sensory Garden (responses = 23)
Support also indicated for other ideas like a Herb Garden, Chess table, Boule’s pitch, Pollinator friendly plantings, and harmonization of park planting.
Our Next Steps
Develop a Detailed Park Plan to give these ideas some life (on paper for now).
Continue to make representation to the park owners and custodians (Transport Canberra City Services -TCCS) and others to garner support for and funding to help realise these ideas.
Continue to advocate for Light St Park.
Organise and register with TCCS volunteers to work in the park.
Organise a working bee.
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