Two Shellharbour suburbs will get new playgrounds in the new year, but the striking regional park planned for Reddall Reserve has hit a hurdle and could be delayed for the next year.
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This week, Shellharbour council unveiled its $240,000 designs which will replace the ageing parks at Albion Park's John Shepherd Reserve and Flinders' Village Green.
Construction is due to start in February and is expected to be done by May - but the same can't be said for the new equipment proposed for Reddall Reserve.
Unveiled in July, the inclusive playground was described by Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba as being like nothing kids in the Illawarra have seen.
Much bigger than most playgrounds, its design was adapted to incorporate a piece of the reserve's history, inspired by a local story about prawning at the lake, called the The Red Lamp.
Once completed, it will include a 25-metre double flying fox with inclusive seat, in-ground trampolines, various slides and climbing structures, as well as musical sensory panels, an inclusive carousel and a mega cantilever swing.
However, this could all be a while off as the council is undertaking heritage investigations on the site after shells and shell fragments were found during early site works.
Due to the foreshore area's cultural and historical significance, especially to Aboriginal people, the council elected to engage a site assessor, who identified the shells and fragments as possibly having cultural significance.
"The shells and fragments are considered an unexpected find, in accordance with the [Office of Environment and Heritage's Due Diligence Code of Practice for the Protection of Aboriginal Objects]," council chief Carey McIntyre said.
"Construction has ceased while consultation continues with the NSW Government's Department of Premier and Cabinet and NSW Heritage Office."
The council has appointed Austral Archaeology to do an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment on the area.
Mr McIntyre said work was expected to be halted for about 12 months, so the site remains closed and will remain fenced off while investigations continue.
Meantime, more new equipment at McDonald Park is expected to be complete next month, a spokesman for the council said.
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