Thank you all very much for your excellent support of the petition and comments, which I have found very touching. I intend to submit the petition to the Council at around the time the feedback closes - 21 February.
If you haven't already, please share with your contacts and re-post to ensure maximum signatures.
A little history on rocket playgrounds:
There is an interesting blog on Victoria's rocket parks here:
https://philipmallis.com/blog/2019/09/05/victorias-rocket-playgrounds/
The plans for the rocket were brought back from America by a municipal councillor from the Blue Mountains, NSW. The designs reflected the optimism of the space age and are a classic of '60s design.
A local blacksmith built some 36 rockets in his workshop which were installed across Australia, mainly in NSW and Victoria.
I was looking at the rocket on the weekend, and there seems very little wear to its very solid steel construction. It was well made!
The City of Benalla restored and enhanced its rocket playground in (2017) and it remains an attraction - I have fond memories of playing in that rocket myself when traveling interstate.