Young Harrison plays on one of the playgrounds remaining in the City of Casey.
AN ATTEMPT to reinstate 18 playgrounds across the City of Casey has been thwarted by a majority of councillors.
A motion to spend $280,000, money which was already committed to another project in the council’s budget, and use it to install equipment at former playground sites was lost at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
Heated debate from councillors followed Cr Paul Richardson’s notice of motion to strip money earmarked for the Casey Central Park playground.
Councillors Kevin Bradford, Michael Farley, Rob Wilson and Wayne Smith also wanted work to begin on re-establishing the old playgrounds which were torn down last year after safety fears were raised.
However, the remaining councillors, including Lorraine Wreford, thwarted their attempt.
Cr Wreford said the Casey Central Park playground had been on the council’s five-year major project plan for some time and the money should be used for its original purpose in the budget. Cr Bradford said it was common sense for the money to be spent on the 18 playgrounds as it would benefit a larger amount of people.
“As a responsible council we took them (playgrounds) away and now we have a responsibility to put them back,” Cr Bradford said. Cr Smith said: “We are punishing residents who used to use these 18 playgrounds because Casey made a mistake.”
After a long debate councillors finally resolved for a report to be prepared on reinstating the 18 playgrounds in question.
