AKUNA Kindergarten students have recently presented their ideas for activating the Railway Lands play precinct to the City of Mount Gambier for consideration during the school year.
Prompted by the community consultation process for the Sport, Recreation and Open Space Strategy, the kindy encouraged around 50 students to think about what would make the Mount Gambier Railway Lands a better place for them.
Akuna Kindergarten early childhood teacher Kerri Scherer said part of their intentions for the year as educators was to ensure the children have a voice in the community and the power to make some change to the things that matter to them.
“First, we identified how we were connected to the Railway Lands,” she said.
“We set up a model of the Railway Lands and while the children explored in a hands-on way through small world play, we gathered the children’s experiences and knowledge and scribed their thoughts and ideas as they played.
“We also surveyed families.”
The children then visited the Railway Lands on an excursion to do some further hands-on research.
Ms Scherer said they explored the play spaces as they currently are and the children were asked to imagine and draw the possibilities and consider what council could change to make it a better space for children.
The group returned to kindy, and the children refined their ideas and plans and created 3D models.
“We used donated materials to build the models around the children’s ideas which included super bouncy trampolines, soccer, flowers, artwork, water play, cubbies, tree houses, colour and nature, a sand pit, tools and a zip line,” Ms Scherer said.
“We are excited to follow along with the planning process and see if any of our ideas are used in the redevelopment project for the Railway Lands.”
City of Mount Gambier strategic development and recreation coordinator Elisa Solly said council will take on board the feedback provided by the kindy.
“Council is very impressed by the work of Akuna Kindy students and we will consider their feedback as part of the development of concept designs for the Railway Lands play precinct,” she said.
