Parents in Brisbane’s southwestern suburbs and beyond are taking to social media to warn others about ongoing issues with a popular water play park.
The Rocks Riverside Park water play area was closed by Brisbane City Council last year for multi-million-dollar revamp, opening with fanfare and festivities just in time for the school holidays.
However, parents flocked to the local LNP councillor’s Facebook page to share pictures of their children with cuts, scrapes and bruises after kids experienced an unusually slippery surface.
Council then closed the area within 48 hours citing “an abundance of caution”, before blaming the contractor and tasking them to rectify the issue.
With less than a week of school holidays remaining, Council reopened the water play park last Thursday.
LNP Councillor for Jamboree Ward Sarah Hutton, who originally attended the first re-opening, announced the second re-opening on social media but did not attend in person. Instead, LNP Council Chair for Parks & Sustainability Cr. Tracy Davis fronted media to claim the floor had been resurfaced, tested and now meets all Australian standards.
Despite this, parents again took to Hutton’s Facebook page to share pictures of their children’s injuries, saying that things are “not any better”.
Brisbane Labor Deputy Leader and mum of two Lucy Collier said that the LNP Council had made a mess of one of the most basic water park upgrades.
“After 20 years of the LNP being in charge of Brisbane City Council, we see another massive failure on their behalf.”
“The things that matter to the people of Brisbane are the basics. [That] you can come here, bring your kids for a great day out, and not go home with blood and band aids all over you.”
Nearby councillor for Forest Lake Ward, Cr. Charles Strunk said that it was a disappointment for hundreds of families from his ward that travel to the park, and that they had to travel to the (Robelle) Domain at Springfield while this park was being upgraded.
“They didn’t do their due diligence, which is a theme for the current Lord Mayor and LNP Council. Safety is the most important part of a build, and they didn’t do the job, they dropped the ball here and families are paying for it.”
Council meetings resume at City Hall from 1PM today.
