Local Governments step up with playgrounds and plans to keep youth in regional WA

As country councils grapple with a growing demographic gap, some local governments in our region are stepping up with plans to re-engage youths and young families in regional WA. According to 2016 census data, towns across the region are home to lower proportions of people aged 15-40 years compared to the State average — and in many cases, that gap is widening. The creation of outdoor recreational spaces — from nature playgrounds to pump tracks — is a trend being set across the Great Southern and Wheatbelt, with the shires of Cranbrook, Gnowangerup, Katanning, Wickepin and Williams all having built new playgrounds in recent years. The Shire of Wagin, is in the process of building an all-ages “ninja” playground alongside its main tourist attraction, Bart the Giant Ram. The Shire has committed $200,000 to build three play areas, an investment which Shire community liaison officer Donna George said was intended to re-engage young families and bring in tourists. “If I was looking for a place to live and drove by the playground once completed, I know I would be dead keen on living in that town,” she said. “The park is close to the low socio-economic area of town, so we hope having this new funky exciting park which is very close to home and very accessible will provide our youth with better options.” The Shire of Lake Grace has just announced plans for an all-ages playground, featuring a dual flying fox, accessible carousel and header-harvester-shaped fort. Shire deputy chief executive Chris Paget said the youth of the region deserved a greater share of community expenditure. “By having these developments in town, we recognise there is a population gap as young folk move off,” he said. “We are trying to attract people here at the moment as we have a chronic shortage of labour. “If we can attract families to the area through facilities like this, it will be great for our town as they will support our local businesses and local schools.” The Shire of Pingelly has just completed a $1 million redevelopment of its Memorial Park, featuring immersive playgrounds, barbecues and community spaces over nine areas. The Shire has also adopted a five-year youth strategy and has declared youth engagement as the most critical issue facing the area over the next decade. It is the first time a whole community framework has been developed to guide service provision in the Shire. After extensive consultation with people aged 10-25, a Shire report found just 35 per cent of young people felt their ideas were heard and felt involved in community decision-making. Less than half were confident they would have the opportunity to stay in Pingelly after completing school although about 60 per cent said they would like to. Using these responses to develop solutions, the strategy envisions a youth-friendly community where young people feel welcome, safe and included. The Shire of Kojonup is following a similar approach, demonstrated with the construction of a new playground at the Kojonup Sports Complex. Shire of Kojonup chief executive Grant Thompson said a perceived lack of education opportunities in the region could be behind low numbers of people aged 15-19. “The Shire has committed to developing a youth strategy as part of its strategic plan,” Mr Thompson said. “On completion of school, many young adults choose to pursue tertiary education at higher-level institutes, keeping them away from Kojonup for longer periods of time. In developing this strategy the Shire is undertaking a consultation process to understand the needs of young people as they live, educate, work, visit and return to Kojonup. “This group aims to identify issues affecting young people, facilitate the consultation process, and develop a draft strategy.” Mr Thompson said the Shire was planning multiple facilities with a youth focus. “It is our goal that, following development of the strategy, the group will remain in place long term ... thereby providing a voice for the younger people in our community to engage with and advise the Shire and its councillors,” he said. “It is also hoped that the group will be seen as the initial point of contact to discuss and co-ordinate responses to emerging needs and issues affecting young people within Kojonup.” The moves come after the Shire of Narrogin commissioned an investigation into the needs and wants of young people in 2018 with a report released last year. Shire chief executive Dale Stewart said that a Youth Advisory Group was being setup for young people aged 11 to 25. “There’s an opportunity to engage with youth to better understand what youth from the district want for their future,” he said. “As we speak we’re still seeking nominations from young people to be part of that to help inform initiatives projects in the shire.” With the Shire of Narrogin looking for funding sources to develop a pump track, Mr Stewart said input from young people would inform future projects. “I wouldn’t say there’s a problem, I would say there’s an opportunity,” he said. “There’s an opportunity to engage with youth to better understand what youth from the district want for their future.”