## The value of master planning
The project demonstrates the value of having a Master Plan to guide the design and development of an important area of land, allowing elements of the master plan to be delivered incrementally as an interrelated series of projects. The overarching Master Plan covers a ten-year timeframe, as detailed in the Bridgewater Parkland Master Plan Report 2016-2026. Prepared by Brighton Council in collaboration with landscape architecture and urban design consultancy Play Street, the Master Plan report articulates a vision for the Bridgewater Parkland that provides a framework for development over a longer period.
The master planning process has ensured the best possible location of the Community Playground immediately adjacent to a ‘hub’ of community facilities at the Bridgewater Civic Centre including Bridgewater Library and the _tagari lia_ Child and Family Centre (“_tagari lia_”_ is the Tasmanian Aboriginal word for family and is one of two Children and Family Centres being established in Tasmania under the National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Childhood Development._ [1]
This prominent location positioned in the heart of the residential community ensures that the playground is both visually prominent and easy to access, helping to ensure the facility is well used by local people. The central location ensures that residents and visitors can walk or cycle to the playground using foot and cycle paths that connect from within Bridgewater and are extending into the Parkland Master Plan area. Improving connections is important to promote active travel, which in turn increase opportunities for physical activity and support healthy lifestyles.
## Heathy Active by Design Features in action
The Community Playground demonstrates several Design Features from the Healthy Active By Design guidance in action, including:
- Public Open Space: the playground creates a valuable piece of public open space, with several elements that offer opportunities for different types of physical activity including children’s play equipment; a wide, level, open grassed space that provides space for informal sports activities such as kicking a ball about.
- Community Facilities: the playground is purposely located as part of a wider hub of community facilities including the Bridgewater Library, tagari lia
Child and Family Centre, and the civic centre. This hub of community facilities is located in the heart of the Bridgewater settlement, close to other shops and services and easy to access from residential streets.
- Movement Networks: leisure paths for walking and cycling have been integrated into the playground design, connecting with both the network of paths and with the opportunity to extend into the wider Bridgewater Parkland reserve area as the master plan scheme develops over time. In this context, it is notable that Brighton Council have also delivered a new foot and cycle path running parallel to the East Derwent Highway, an important piece of infrastructure for active travel that connects the neighbouring settlements of Gagebrook and Herdsmans Cove.
The project demonstrates the value of having a master plan to guide the design and development of an important area of land, allowing elements of the master plan to be delivered incrementally as an interrelated series of projects.
- Sense of Place: Play Street, the lead designers, conceived a design theme of ‘a swans nest’ that links the space back to the local character of the riverside setting. The play area is set within trees and grassy mounds, with features that provide a visual connection to that of a ‘swans nest amidst rushes’. The playground creates opportunities for the community to meet and interact, notably with design features including barbeque areas, picnic benches and seating and a community orchard area. These features in addition to the play and open space create multiple points of interest with opportunities for interaction for people of all ages and backgrounds.
- Healthy Food: Access to healthy food has been a key design consideration, the playground includes a community orchard area with fruit trees and raised beds for planting vegetables and herbs. This area will be open access for all, but it is particularly hoped that local community groups will be able to make use of these food cultivation areas, including groups of people from local schools and the neighbouring tagari lia
Child and Family Centre.