Community to receive new playground at Cooktown’s much loved Lion’s Park

“The Lion’s Park Playground is much loved by local families and visitors to Cooktown,” said Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott. “The community has been wanting this for some time, and thanks to funding from the COVID Works for Queensland program, we are finally pleased to be able to deliver it to them.”

Pictured above: A computer-generated artists impression of the new playground equipment that is to be installed at Cooktown's much loved Lion's Park. The project also includes the construction of an all-weather, heritage-style shade structure to complement the Cooktown streetscape. 

The project includes replacement of the current playground equipment with brand new, state-of-the-art equipment, a fenced play enclosure featuring a soft-fall safety surface and installation of a new, heritage-style roof structure to provide much needed shade and an all-weather play area.

The new playground equipment was voted by the community as their preferred option in the consultation that was conducted late last year. Council also worked with fabricators to fine-tune and customise the playground’s colour scheme and design in line with community feedback.

“From the details on the soft-fall surface to the heritage-style shade structure it’s great to be delivering a project that will bring the space up to community expectations for outdoor play equipment, and revitalise the area for generations to come,” said Mayor Scott.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said the upgrade was in part funded by the Queensland Government’s signature COVID Works for Queensland program.

“We’ve invested $500,000 toward the Lion’s Park Playground,” Ms Lui said.

“It’s estimated this project will support around 7 jobs.

“It’s projects like this that improve local community infrastructure and create local jobs.

“Our COVID Works for Queensland program is delivering 519 projects that will support more than 4,600 jobs across the state.”  

The playground will close, and an exclusion zone fenced off when works commence on Monday 24 May 2021. The project is due for completion by 30 June 2021.

“Recent heavy rains have significantly delayed the start of this special project. Unfortunately, this now means that the playground will be a construction zone, and for safety reasons will be closed entirely during the upcoming Cooktown & Cape York Expo 2021. Although disappointing, with all the other events, excitement, installations and experiences on offer as part of the Expo program, the community and visitors to Cooktown will find plenty of other family-friendly ways to entertain the children and experience our town," said Mayor Scott. 

The Lion’s Park Playground Upgrade project is an initiative of the Queensland Government and Cook Shire Council.

For more information contact the Senior Media, Marketing and Communications Officer, via email at mail@cook.qld.gov.au or phone on 4082 0500.

Download a PDF of this media release. 

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