Council have now endorsed a final Master Plan for Graydens Reserve.

Positioned at the gateway to Phillip Island, Graydens Reserve is a vibrant cornerstone of community life and recreation in Newhaven. It is known for its range of amenities including a basketball half-court, playground, and open green spaces. It is much used and a well-loved Reserve, a meeting place that has fostered strong family and community connections. Recognising the evolving needs of the community, Council has developed plans to upgrade and renew the open space and all that it offers whilst managing the fact that part of the current area of the Reserve is owned by Regional Roads Victoria and will be used for a roundabout in coming years.

Late 2023 we asked for expressions of interest to make up a panel of community members who have a connection to the Reserve to help us co-design the community engagement for Graydens Reserve. This panel of 18 community members met in February 2024 and spoke about the uses of the Reserve. We heard that it is a popular place for birthday parties, gatherings for families and friends, a stop-off on the way home from school and to and from the Island.

Between 15 May and 16 June 2024, we asked the community about what they would like to see in the reserve through a number of surveys and invited them to an information session on Tuesday 28 May. This consultation included online surveys aimed at both adults and children plus two in-person sessions in the park. Council received 162 online surveys and around 20 people attended the in-person sessions. Having reviewed this feedback, Council developed a draft concept plan for the future of Graydens Reserve and shared it with the community in August 2024. A summary of feedback gained in both stages is detailed below.

The draft concept plan was then placed on public exhibition for community feedback in August. The response from the community was significant, with over 30 surveys completed and around 15 people at the in-person sessions. Key themes identified included requests for

• Increased open grass area and trees
• Additional play elements, swings, and challenging items
• Increased number of picnic tables

As a result of the feedback obtained throughout the consultation sessions, several changes were made to the original concept including:

• Revised playspace design with a larger net, longer slide and additional swings
• Reduced overall footprint for the playspace and skate park to increase the open grass area
• Updated skate design to cater to more people and look less like a pump track
• Additional table and park bench added for older adults accompanying kids to the reserve