Getting active through social and unstructured sport and play is a great way for young adults to connect and exercise. This year we redeveloped these five parks, playgrounds and open spaces to support the physical activity of our community.

Joyce Park in Ormond is one of our much loved and utilised open spaces. When Glen Eira McKinnon Bowls Club recently converted a turf bowling green to a synthetic green, the remaining turf green was transformed into this new active play space. The space includes a double-sided hit-up wall for any type of rebound activity; two basketball rings and a netball ring; a soccer goal for half-court activities; and a table tennis table. The Federal Government invested $476,558 of the $1.01 million investment in the new space.

Hodgson Reserve in Bentleigh already had some outdoor fitness equipment for casual workouts. To further promote social and sporting opportunities we added a basketball goal; netball goal; table tennis table; rebound wall for hitting, throwing and kicking; a bouldering wall; and a new and improved climbing tower.

McKinnon Reserve in McKinnon underwent a playground redevelopment. But for those that needed a different challenge, we constructed a ball court featuring basketball goals; netball goals; ball game line markings; and a bouldering wall to climb.

A major redevelopment of Harleston Park in Elsternwick opened in September 2019. This revitalised play space is now a scene of natural timber play elements reflecting the natural beauty of the Park. The most important part of this redevelopment — for local play adventurers — is a new and improved version of Glen Eira’s biggest straight slide. Other new features include a three-point basketball court; a double tower for climbing and looking out below, an acorn cubby house; a five-way swing; lots of speedy slides; a spinner and a new shelter and barbecue area. Council thanks Sport Australia for its contribution to the three-point basketball court as part of the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant.

We developed Glen Eira’s first — and only — fully-fenced dog off-leash area. The dog park is open at The Wedge — on the western side of Caulfield Racecourse at the end of Glen Eira Road in Caulfield East. Since opening in July 2019, it has been visited by many keen dogs and their owners.

This new doggy play space features turfed areas for exercise, socialisation and obedience training, as well as natural elements, such as rocks and plantings for sniffing investigations and agility equipment made from recycled soft plastics for additional training purposes. It also features seating, natural shade from mature trees and drinking fountains.

For more information visit the Sports and leisure page on our website.