The look on Blayke Cook's face says it all - the kids of Warrawong aren't happy with the condition of Howard Fowles Park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The park's outdated play equipment, which is broken, sharp and rusted in sections, has parents on high alert, while a small section of fence is all that separates the area from busy Northcliffe Drive.
A nearby half basketball court has no markings, users bring chalk and draw the outlines themselves, and the area offers nowhere to sit or go to toilet.
"[It's] boring and dangerous, there's not much here," nine-year-old Blayke said, listing swings and a slide among his favoured additions.
The concern was echoed by dozens of children - and their parents - who joined the Bundaleer Youth Committee on Thursday in their fight for better facilities.
Felicity Green, 13, was one of many who made their feelings known via a petition handed to Wollongong MP Noreen Hay.
The teenager told the Mercury the park's state was a poor reflection on the community she lived in.
"It gives the impression the whole [Bundaleer] estate looks like this, it's the first thing you see when you drive past and it's filthy," she said.
"There would be a lot of kids down here [if the park was upgraded] and it would keep them out of trouble."
Lisa Fleming, the Barnardos community development worker at Bundaleer, has watched the park deteriorate over the years, despite others around Wollongong being upgraded.
"We are a marginalised group and it would just be nice to see this park area be a positive place for people to engage in our community," Ms Fleming said.
"People drive past here and it reflects a very, very poor image of where they live and this is not what they're about. They're actually very positive, very driven, a very talented group of young people."
Ms Fleming said Wollongong City Council's new skate park at Berkeley had been "fabulous for that community".
"I think it's the spirit that it also brings to their area and we'd like to see that happen here for us," she said.
Ms Hay met with the youth committee on Thursday and told them they had her full support, while Lake Illawarra police were also involved.
"An upgrade to the park would be fantastic for the community and give the kids something to do - most of the kids that get into trouble all say they've got nothing to do," crime prevention officer Mark Scott said.