Bayside mother-of-two Jacky Angelovski has a dream for a toddler-safe water play or splash park for local children.
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"It's zero-depth-low-risk where local children could gain confidence around water before we introduce them to the beach," Jacky said.
"Ideally this would be in a park adjacent to Botany Bay but be gated and safe," she said.
Jacky has to take her two preschoolers to a water play park at Greenacre, Fairfield or Oran Park.
Earlier this year, Jacky addressed Bayside Council asking for a feasibility study for a toddler-safe water play park in the local government area.
"Bayside currently has no free, toddler-safe water play facility. While we are fortunate to have beaches and aquatic centres, beaches are not controlled environments for one-to-four-year-olds, and aquatic centres are paid-entry facilities," she told the council.
"It was suggested that families can simply use the beach. However, increasing jet ski activity, tidal conditions and the absence of a controlled, fenced environment make beaches unsuitable as a substitute for purpose-designed toddler water play.
"According to the 2021 Census, over 43 per cent of families in Bayside are families with children, with more than 11,000 families raising children under 15 years.
"According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, 66.5 per cent of Bayside is medium to high density while the average is 46 per cent across greater Sydney.
"Other Sydney councils including Canterbury-Bankstown, Camden and Ryde provide free zero-depth splash parks that have become established community hubs. Many Bayside families currently travel outside the LGA to access these facilities."
Jacky was speaking in support of a notice of motion calling for a feasibility study by the council on the costs and risks of providing a children's splash park and identifying possible sites in Ramsgate parklands or other council sites.
However, this was voted down by seven votes to five.
Instead, it was deferred for consideration when the council's capital works plan is reported to the council.
"This is not a luxury proposal," Jacky said. "Across Sydney, splash parks are increasingly viewed as standard community infrastructure, particularly as councils respond to heat mitigation, child safety, and inclusive recreation.
"The refusal to even undertake a feasibility study raises important questions about how Bayside plans to provide equitable and safe water-based recreation for its youngest residents," she said.
Jacky has consistently advocated for toddler-safe water play infrastructure in Bayside, raising it as an issue in her campaign as an independent candidate in the 2024 local government election.
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