Children across Sunbury will now be able to explore a new playground, with the latest instalment at Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health (SCCH) featuring a sensory garden and musical instruments.
Sunbury MP Josh Bull visited the Macedon Street site in early December to officially open the playground, which was constructed with funding from the West Gate Tunnel Project’s Sunbury Bulla Neighbourhood Fund.
Local Wurundjeri Elder Colin Hunter Junior conducted a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country as children and educators from Our Village Family Childcare explored the space.
SCCH board chair Peter Donlon was at the event to cut the ribbon for the playground, which includes mud, water and sand features, a slide, tunnel and nest swing.
“Our playground was well overdue for a refresh,” Mr Donlon said.
“Our team has worked with local landscape designers… to create something really beautiful that encourages creativity and open-ended play, which is so important to early childhood development.”
The playground is used by families attending the centre for services such as speech therapy, audiology, physiotherapy and occupational therapy as well as those attending SCCH run music groups.
“Our family day care service, Our Village, also uses the playground as it’s a great opportunity for educators to bring the children in their care to meet and interact with other children,” Mr Donlon said.
Mr Bull said spaces like these help build connections and enrich the community.
“Connections are made between children and their parents, between parents themselves and of course between the children who are clearly loving this well thought out and fun playground,” he said.
The space was also a beneficiary of the Millett Family Community Grants program.
