Neighbourhood Parks Upgrades

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We are inviting the community to help shape the next stage of the Neighbourhood Parks Program, with draft playground designs now available for feedback.

We’re starting with Medlow Bath Park, where two exciting design options have been developed based on what the community told us during the first round of consultation in 2024. These designs aim to reflect local priorities, provide inclusive play opportunities, and complement nearby recreational spaces.

Now, it’s time to choose your preferred design. Your feedback will help determine the final look and feel of this much-loved local park.

Consultation for Medlow Bath Park is open from 17 April until 21 May 2025.

Design options for Thomas Park (Blaxland) and Golden Horizons Park (Hazelbrook) will be released soon.

See below for the survey


Background

The Neighbourhood Parks Program is a four-year program aimed at enhancing our community's neighbourhood parks. The $6.1 million program is funded by the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) program.

Over the course of this program, Council will upgrade 16 parks across the four Wards of the Blue Mountains. In each Ward, there will be four parks upgraded - one each year, over four years.

The first round of consultation has taken place for the 2024 and 2025 parks: Medlow Park, Medlow Bath; Golden Horizons, Hazelbrook; Thomas Park, Blaxland, Melrose Park, Katoomba; Wilson Park, Wentworth Falls; Bundah Park, Winmalee; and Hall Park, Mount Riverview.

While each park’s upgrade is subject to considerations due to budget, heritage and environmental considerations, your feedback will help us understand how our parks are used, how you would like to use them, and what you would like included in your parks.

The focus for these projects is on renewal of the things that are already in the park and has been developed with consideration of other potential grant sources which may be used for other needs at each facility.

It's important to remember that Council can't provide everything in any one neighbourhood park. We aim to provide a little bit of everything across the neighbourhood parks in each ward. When you think about what you would like in any park, please also consider what is already available in the other parks around you.

Each park has a budget of approximately $300,000 per park with a total budget for each ward of $1.2 million. The budget for each park may be adjusted, but the budget for each ward is fixed. If needed, unspent budget from some parks may be diverted to other parks within the same ward.

We are inviting the community to help shape the next stage of the Neighbourhood Parks Program, with draft playground designs now available for feedback.

We’re starting with Medlow Bath Park, where two exciting design options have been developed based on what the community told us during the first round of consultation in 2024. These designs aim to reflect local priorities, provide inclusive play opportunities, and complement nearby recreational spaces.

Now, it’s time to choose your preferred design. Your feedback will help determine the final look and feel of this much-loved local park.

Consultation for Medlow Bath Park is open from 17 April until 21 May 2025.

Design options for Thomas Park (Blaxland) and Golden Horizons Park (Hazelbrook) will be released soon.

See below for the survey


Background

The Neighbourhood Parks Program is a four-year program aimed at enhancing our community's neighbourhood parks. The $6.1 million program is funded by the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) program.

Over the course of this program, Council will upgrade 16 parks across the four Wards of the Blue Mountains. In each Ward, there will be four parks upgraded - one each year, over four years.

The first round of consultation has taken place for the 2024 and 2025 parks: Medlow Park, Medlow Bath; Golden Horizons, Hazelbrook; Thomas Park, Blaxland, Melrose Park, Katoomba; Wilson Park, Wentworth Falls; Bundah Park, Winmalee; and Hall Park, Mount Riverview.

While each park’s upgrade is subject to considerations due to budget, heritage and environmental considerations, your feedback will help us understand how our parks are used, how you would like to use them, and what you would like included in your parks.

The focus for these projects is on renewal of the things that are already in the park and has been developed with consideration of other potential grant sources which may be used for other needs at each facility.

It's important to remember that Council can't provide everything in any one neighbourhood park. We aim to provide a little bit of everything across the neighbourhood parks in each ward. When you think about what you would like in any park, please also consider what is already available in the other parks around you.

Each park has a budget of approximately $300,000 per park with a total budget for each ward of $1.2 million. The budget for each park may be adjusted, but the budget for each ward is fixed. If needed, unspent budget from some parks may be diverted to other parks within the same ward.

  • Medlow Bath Park Upgrade

    Last year, we undertook the first round of community consultation on the Neighbourhood Parks Upgrade of Medlow Bath Park in Medlow Bath. Medlow Bath park is one of 16 parks across the Blue Mountains that are being upgraded as part of the Neighbourhood Parks Program. We consulted with the community, community groups and organisations, sporting groups and schools. 

    The consultation gathered information about who uses the park, who would like to use the park and what inclusions the community would like to see, within the scope of this project. What we learned helped inform the designs we are presenting to you now, each of which addresses key wants and needs expressed through the consultation.

    • Medlow Bath Park is well used with 37% of respondents using the park every day, 19% every week, and 31% every month.
    • 66% of respondents take children to the park, mostly under 10 years of age. 
    • 60% voted to replace play equipment and add a climbing frame.
    • 49% voted to add an accessible sensory play section.
    • 39% of respondents voted to replace play equipment and add swings.
    • 38% of respondents voted to replace play equipment and add a spinning wheel.
    • 30% of respondents voted to replace play equipment and add a slide.
    • 84 % of respondents voted for improved picnic facilities.
    • 34% of respondents voted to resurface tennis court.

    In the options we are presenting, we have tried to accommodate as much of the stated wants for the park as possible, while balancing budget and looking at what is available at other nearby parks.

    Design description

    The upgrade of Medlow Bath Park will include:

    • Replacement of the play space with new and modern equipment including a new accessible play area near the picnic shelter.
    • The picnic facilities will be improved with a new wheelchair accessible path and pavement inside and around the shelter, with more informal group seating.  
    • The old brick BBQ will be removed.  
    • A new and unique feature will be the accessible creative playhouse near the picnic shelter in addition to creative activity boards.         

    The play equipment will include elements which provide fun, creative and developmental opportunities for children of a wide range of ages and abilities. 

    The equipment is designed to create opportunities for a variety of play options:  

    • 'Moving the body' play may include the rock climbing features to develop strength, help develop risk management and are good for younger and older children.
    • 'Kinetic play' includes swings, slides and spring rockers to help develop balance skills.
    • 'Social Play and Imagination Play' will bring kids together to develop social and cooperation skills, and be spontaneous and creative.
    • 'Explorative play' is a hands-on investigation of the world around us.
    • There are also many spaces around the play space where kids can engage in self-directed learning about the environment.

    Council understands there is strong support for upgrading the tennis court, and while this will not be done as a part of this project, Council is proactively seeking funding opportunities which will support a tennis court upgrade as a future project.

    Please take some time to check out the designs and share your thoughts with us through the survey.

     

    Park layout showing playspace and picnic shelter

    Location map


    Playspace Option 1

    Playspace Option 1  


    Playspace Option 1 detail

     


    Playspace Option 1 Detail

     


    Playspace Option 1 Detail

     

    Playspace Option 1 Detail



    Playspace Option 1 floorplan 

    Picnic Shelter Option 1


    Picnic Shelter Option 1 

     


    Playspace Option 2 

    Playspace Option 2 


     


    Playspace Option 2 detail



    Playspace Option 2 detail

     

     
    Playspace Option 2 detail



    Playspace Option 2 detail

     

     



    Playspace Option 2 floorplan

     

    Picnic Shelter Option 2


    Picnic shelter 2

     





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Page last updated: 17 Apr 2025, 10:45 AM