By Dominique Tassell
Local children have been unable to play at a popular local park for four months, with Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) stating that “Covid-related disruptions” are to blame.
‘Monkey Park’ near Quart Pot Creek was damaged in a storm earlier this year and has sat in its damaged state ever since.
Locals have raised concerns over the state of the park, as the damaged shade sail has never been removed and some parents feel the damaged area of the park has not been properly sectioned off.
A Council spokesperson stated that “the shade sail at the Kilpa Street Park was damaged in a severe storm at the end of March”.
“Council crews immediately barricaded the playground area to ensure community safety,” they said.
“A contractor has been appointed to repair the damage and will commence works in July due to Covid-related disruptions to the workforce and supply chain and extraordinarily high demand from a substantial number of damaged infrastructure across the region and surrounds.”
The spokesperson stated that “the contractor also initially engaged to remove the shade sail so that the playground could remain open in interim, however suitable equipment for the removal was not available.”
“The re-installation remains on track for July and Council has heavily engaged with the contractor to ensure the playground opens as soon as possible.”
“Council and the contractor appreciate the community’s patience as both parties strive to overcome the difficulties presented by the impacts of skilled contractor availability and broader supply chain delays across most industries.”
The park has special significance to locals, after then-10-year-old Isabella Kerrigan penned a letter to SDRC in 2018 requesting new play equipment and got her wish granted.
Isobella’s Roundabout was unaffected by the storm earlier this year and remains in the park.
