The existing splash park along the Yarrawonga foreshore will remain with the addition of a junior aqua slide designed to look like the slide is coming from a rock hill, a dump bucket and tumbling bucket, an interactive raindrop play centre, water cannons and various shower tunnels, towers, jets and geysers.
With the redevelopment and expansion of the splash park, the almost 40-year-old waterslide is set to be pulled down.
The Yarrawonga Waterslide has been a popular foreshore attraction for visitors since it was first installed in the 1980s but unfortunately it has reached the end of its usable life.
In November last year, Moira Shire General Manager Community Sally Rice said due to the slides age, the maintenance requirements were steadily increasing.
“The slide is now becoming financially unviable with annual maintenance and running costs steadily increasing,” Ms Rice said.
“Unfortunately, there have also been multiple incidents of vandalism, particularly in the last two seasons, resulting in thousands of dollars spent in the repair of the surface of the slide.”
At Moira Shire Council’s June ordinary council meeting Cr Peter Elliott moved a recommendation that the tender be awarded and for the Chief Executive Officer to undertake negotiations and sign and seal documents.
“The new splash park will be Yarrawonga themed with a junior slide, dump bucket, interactive raindrop play centre and water cannons to name a few,” Cr Elliott said.
“It will be expanded to incorporate a more family friendly feel with a lot of opportunities for play for all ages.”
Yarrawonga’s Peter Mansfield and Peter Lawless both gave their approvals of the development, saying that it will be fantastic for the town.
“This will be a great attribute to the lake. It looks great and will complement the all abilities playground,” Cr Mansfield said.
“It is out with the old and in with the new, it will complement everything on the foreshore.”
Cr Lawless added: “This will be a terrific addition to Yarrawonga and would be placed in the perfect area with three all abilities accesses close together.”
Cr Judy Heather spoke of her concerns on taking away something that older children in Yarrawonga can use to make way for another matter for younger children.
“The design is lovely, and I am not against the park being put in, but my concern is that many people use the slide and we are taking something away for the older children,” Cr Heather said.
“We need to have something in town for the teenagers also.”
The original project completion date was October 1 however project timeframes of 20+ weeks will extend past this completion date.
If the contractor is engaged mid-June to undertake the works, the shorter 22 week program submitted by Farley Pools will result in a completion date of late November/early December 2022 and the splash park will be operational by the beginning of summer.
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