Source : Perth Now news
A quirky Melville park’s fenced-off slide will be replaced with a multi-level climbing wall after months of community pushing.
The yellow slide at Kadidjiny Park, affectionately known as the Dr Seuss playground or Cat in the Hat park, has been out of commission for almost two years, locals say.
Following consistent requests from the community to do something about the unusable play equipment, the city revealed plans for a new climbing wall to be installed over the next few months.
The $87,000 project is included in the city’s recently adopted playground renewal capital works budget.
Melville mayor Katy Mair said the slide was formally closed in September last year due to ongoing maintenance issues and safety concerns.
“The slide was fenced off for public safety following an assessment that considered the slide unsafe,” she said.
“Due to the unique design and location of the slide, simply replacing it with another slide was not a viable option. Consequently, significant design work was required to develop an appropriate solution, along with securing the necessary funding to complete the upgrade works.”
The new design includes a climbing ramp going up the hill, and modern, colourful poles and rubber structures for kids to use.
Ms Mair said the concept was developed by the city in collaboration with a specialist playground contractor.
“A replacement slide was considered, however, an assessment identified technical challenges associated with installing a new slide on the existing landform and gradient,” she said.
“As the playground already has another slide, the climbing wall was selected to provide a different play experience.
“The climbing wall was selected after considering site constraints, safety, community feedback and the range of play opportunities already available at the playground.”
Councillor Karen Wheatland shared the update on Facebook, claiming she had followed up on the issue “several times” over the past 18 months to two years, but there was no money allocated in the 2025-26 budget.
“I completely understand the frustration. The equipment has been out of action for an extended period because the original slide couldn’t simply be repaired or swapped out. Its design and construction meant a replacement required further investigation, redesign and sourcing of a suitable alternative, rather than a straightforward like-for-like replacement,” she wrote.
“The advice I received is that informal engagement with playground users found a climbing wall would provide greater play value, particularly as there is already another slide in the playground.”
Kadidjiny Park offers a range of play equipment including climbing nets, group swings, spinners, musical instruments and the existing blue slide.
Works on the new climbing wall are scheduled to begin this month and expected to be completed in September.
