I am mum to two boys aged 2 years and 10 months.  Tending to a baby and keeping a close watch on a toddler in a playground is hard work.  Our district has 36 playgrounds and to my knowledge the only fenced playground is in Ngunguru.

I am not requesting fences for our playgrounds so that I can pay less attention to my children.  I’m requesting it for their safety. So that when I’m removing the mouthful of bark chip that my baby has managed to stuff in his mouth, my toddler is not running across the walkway and falling in the tide.  So that when I’m cleaning up the spill my baby has just done down my arm and on their front, my toddler is not chasing the seagull into the busy car park.  So I can have a much needed adult conversation with another mother without needing eyes in the back of my head.

The playgrounds I am requesting to be fenced are:

1.       Mander Park playground, purpose built to provide for the under fives.

2.       Laurie Hall Park playground, located next to the busy Farmers car park.

3.       The destination playground at the Town Basin, a very popular playground flanked by a very busy car park and the harbour.