Detailed description

The consortium of clubs led by the Rotary Club of Glenferrie wanted to define a project to mark in 2021 the centenary of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand. The criteria was to select a project that: 1. Is local within Boroondara 2. Would leave a lasting legacy in the city 3. Enable sub-projects to be developed from it, encompassing most if not all Avenues of Service. 4. Provide multiple opportunities for promotion of Rotary in the City 5. Raise the profile of Rotary locally and attract new members 6. Involve collaboration between Rotary clubs and the local community. The clubs selected a project that gifted to the community an impressive and unique interactive play sculpture that would be the centrepiece of a new all-abilities playground at the historic and beautiful Yarra Bank Reserve in Hawthorn, Victoria. The new playground was opened on Sunday November 21st 2021 by the Mayor and the District 9800 Governor at a Family Fun Day, featuring children's entertainment, food & drinks

Community assessment: How the project team learned about the community’s needs

We met with the CEO of the City of Boroondara and asked him to help us identify a project in the city that would be a lasting gift to the local community, highlight the strong partnership between the City and Rotary, raise the profile of Rotary in the City and suitably celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Rotary in Australia and New Zealand. A series of meetings with Council staff identified the Yarra Bank Reserve as a suitable place for a new all-abilities playground. It is a beautiful park, on the border between two municipalities, with local historical significance and of considerable significance to the original Aboriginal owners of the land, the Wurundjeri People.

Project impact: How the project will help the community after the project ends

The unique interactive sculpture will make the Yarra Bank Reserve a destination for residents form the City of Yarra on the east bank of the River Yarra and the City of Boroondara on the west bank. It is a symbol of unity, situated at the site of the original punt which joined the two areas in the 19th century. The sculpture, which works better the greater the number of people who engage with it at the same time, embodies the spirit of collaboration. In the words of the sculptor/engineer: "The play sculpture is meant to demonstrate that when people work together they can create something magnificent". The new playground will continue to enliven what was a previously under-utilised resource. It will continue to draw attention to a park that is important historically, to both European and Aboriginal Australians. It also provides opportunities for ongoing Rotary projects centred around the ‘Sky Canoe’, which promote community engagement, civic pride and Rotary membership.

Sustainability: How the benefits of the project will continue afterward

The playground equipment will be maintained by the City of Boroondara Engineering Department. The project also gave rise to a second project in Boroondara: The Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds project. Playgrounds being replaced as part of the regular replacement program were previously dumped in landfill. Now the consortium of four Rotary clubs harvest those programs and ship them to locations throughout Asia, where they are refurbished by local Rotary clubs and re-assembled in local schools and municipalities. The old Yarra Bank Reserve playground equipment is now on its way to Nepal, where it will be reassembled at a locality in Kathmandu, bringing big smiles to little faces once more.