Division 11 – April 2019

A better backyard for Division 11

Gold Coast City is home to Australia’s best outdoor lifestyle. And that should be no surprise given our amazing weather, green open spaces and expansive waterways.

But a growing population has put our ‘communal backyard’ under serious pressure. My view is there is an urgent need to make better use of our existing open space.

Locally, this means: restoring gardens to their former glory; improving lighting; planting shade trees; deploying safety cameras; upgrading playgrounds; installing sports equipment; and much more.

Over the last three years, Varsity Lakes has been among the biggest beneficiaries of this new approach with a range of projects breathing new life into our most central parks.

Varsity Central Park

Varsity Central Park has established itself as an epicentre for fun and fitness on the Gold Coast. Now home to the city’s largest outdoor gym, it attracts visitors to the Varsity CBD and gives locals convenient access to free and low-cost fitness programs throughout the week.

Lighting the newly-renovated basketball court has put this public asset to work afterhours, with players helping to deter anti-social behaviour that once plagued the area. The vast network of CCTV cameras has, of course, helped too.

The most exciting improvements are unfolding right now with the construction of the new shaded recreation space on the south of the site (a joint project with Varsity College) and the conversion of the park to a fully-irrigated sports field.

Varsity Foreshore Parklands

One of the most startling transformations has occurred at Varsity Foreshore Parklands, which was once a desolate and underutilised lakeside ‘pocket park’.

Recent works have delivered: an expanded playground; water refill stations; more lighting; and additional shade trees. And planning is now underway to add shade sails and a toilet block.

Best of all, a regular series of live music events has brought families and neighbours together to build a stronger and more cohesive community.

Frascott Park

Frascott Park is a hidden gem at the heart of southern Varsity Lakes. And it is worth visiting for the first time – or if you haven’t stopped by for a few years.

A three-year-long renovation has: tripled the size of the car park; installed new shelters and barbecues; deployed a network of safety cameras; renovated the toilet block; fixed paths; addressed drainage issues; boosted seating; refurbished courts; etc.

And the pièce de résistance is just around the corner… see pictures above.

In coming weeks, construction will begin on a safari-themed, large-scale, high-energy new playground right in the middle of the park. This will be our answer to the famous ‘Pirate playground’ and will be within walking distance for thousands of locals.

Importantly, there will be equipment for all ages making it the perfect spot for the family and birthday parties.

insideR EDIT: Hey Hermann, we think there’s something else super special coming in the public recreation department for Robina too! Read more here…