Tench Reserve playground is situated on the Nepean River at Penrith – an area that experienced widespread flooding during early 2020. With the playground located very close to the riverbank, it was inundated with flood waters as the river rose, leaving behind significant damage and debris when the water finally receded.
This resulted in the need for a replacement rubber playground surface that could better withstand potential future flood events.
Those familiar with the Nepean River area and the Great River Walk would be aware of how incredibly busy and well-utilised this public area is by the local community.
The Preferred Turf team needed to ensure we worked safely and efficiently alongside the public whilst the surrounding areas of the park were still in use. Fencing off the playground provided a practical level of safety and security, however our team was also careful to limit the impact on the amenity of the area whilst the new playground was under construction.
This meant working efficiently and professionally to ensure the new rubber soft fall surface was installed as quickly as possible.
In consultation with the Council and play equipment contractors, Preferred Turf designed a rubber softfall playground solution that would deliver better resistance to flooding than the previous surfacing.
Ensuring the new surface would be able to sustain intense weather events meant that we increased the quantity of binder used in the surface, and ensured all edges and joins were bonded extremely well during the installation phase.
We utilised high-quality EPDM, an upgrade over the existing CSBR surface, to create a bright blue, green, orange and yellow surface, echoing the colours of the surrounding park and river. Organic wave-shaped joins delineated different areas of the playground providing a fun, creative and safe environment for children to enjoy the popular riverside location.
Overall, Preferred Turf delivered a safe, strong and weather-resistant surface that adds life and colour to one of Penrith’s most popular recreation areas.
