A Kings Park playground that has served local families for more than 20 years will soon be demolished due to serious safety concerns.
The Arthur Fairall playground, in May Drive Parkland near Zamia Cafe, will be permanently removed later this month after an external engineering assessment found its poles were “structurally unsound” and posed risks to visitor safety.
The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority announced the closure on Monday, saying the playground was more than two decades old and had reached the end of its “useable life”.
The independent report was commissioned between June and August after internal inspections. The 75-metre elevated walkway was closed while the BGPA waited for the results.
A BGPA spokesperson told the Western Suburbs Weekly the authority had been remediating the playground poles since 2018 to extend their lifespan.
“BGPA undertakes regular playground inspections to maintain public safety, including internal weekly inspections, and yearly playground audits by external consultants, including engineering inspections where recommended, since 2018,” they said.
Due to the significance of the damage, the BGPA determined repairs were “unviable” and the structure needed to be demolished.
“The final report identified widespread defects due to natural degradation over time and while remediation is technically possible, it would require a significant level of investment,” a spokesperson said.
“Given the age of the playground and the work and cost required to repair and maintain it, that investment would not represent good value for the community.
“The decision was not made easily and many staff, some who were involved in its initial design and construction, tried all avenues to sustain the playground before demolition was determined.”
After the playground is removed, landscaping remediation works will be carried out and alternative play spaces will be investigated as part of a broader review of the May Drive Parkland precinct.
The wood from the demolition will be repurposed throughout the park, including in Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park and other future projects.
A spokesperson confirmed the BGPA was preparing a new playground master plan to “reimagine the area” with “contemporary, inclusive play spaces”.
“BGPA acknowledges the special place Arthur Fairall playground holds in the hearts of many. The playground has seen generations of families, evolving from its original play equipment installed in 1967 to the playground visitors know today, which opened in 2002,” a spokesperson said.
“We are committed to the next step of creating play spaces where new memories can be made, and families can gather.”
The nearby Lycopod Island in the ornamental lake will remain open for use.