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Much-loved Ray Pascoe Park at Tweed Heads is currently undergoing a $990,000 upgrade, with construction underway at the riverside park and boat ramp since the beginning of March.
Located at the Kennedy Drive boat ramp alongside the Tweed River, Ray Pascoe Park is the latest recreational park to be rejuvenated in Tweed Heads.
Aimed at revitalising and modernising the existing children’s play space and park facilities to better meet the needs of the community now and into the future, construction works began on Monday 4 March with the project expected to be completed by August 2024, weather permitting.
Tweed Shire Council Manager Parks and Active Communities Murray Smith said the upgrade of Ray Pascoe Park would further boost the liveability of Tweed Heads for residents.
“We’re excited to be able to provide improved facilities for the local community and the many visitors who use this picturesque riverside park,” Mr Smith said.
"We are committed to providing improved facilities not only for today but for the years to come as the region grows. The community told us they wanted to see better quality parks and public toilets and we are delivering with these improvements.
“We are grateful to the NSW Government for assisting us with funding this exciting project.”
The upgrade has been made possible thanks to a $400,000 grant from the NSW Government, which supports the delivery of critical infrastructure and high-quality open space projects to support the delivery of new housing.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the Ray Pascoe Park upgrade is one of the many infrastructure projects that will continue to support the creation of more homes across regional NSW.
“Building a thriving community means creating space for friends to gather and for kids to play. Quality open spaces are a centrepiece of the community and this is a serious investment in Tweed Heads’ future,” Minister Scully said.
Council is contributing $500,000 towards the project, including funds to build a new amenities block.
The upgrade will include:
- additional play equipment for children aged 5 years and up
- inclusive play elements
- nature play elements
- new barbecue and shelter within the playground area
- new picnic tables and seating with shelters
- new public toilet and linking pathways
- accessible car parking space
- integration of river-themed elements
- landscaping.
Something for boaties too
The park upgrade will be complemented by the installation of a new fish-cleaning table, improved lighting at the boat ramp and minor foreshore protection works to be undertaken as part of Council’s Coast and Waterways Program.
This additional improvement is jointly funded by NSW Fisheries ($69,610), with Tweed Shire Council contributing $20,000.
Options to improve the drainage, surface condition and increase the number of spaces within the car park area, while maintaining safe manoeuvrability space for boaties and other park users, are currently being explored.
The existing playground at Ray Pascoe Park will be temporarily closed during construction, with minimal impact on boat ramp access and parking. The toilets will remain open throughout construction of the play space, only closing for approximately 2 weeks during installation of the new amenities block.
Council thanks the community for their patience during construction of this busy open space with river access.
The upgrade of Ray Pascoe Park forms part of Council’s commitment to improve the quality of the Tweed's public open spaces as outlined in Council’s Open Space Strategy (2019–2029). This is just one of the many open space projects that have been delivered under this Strategy over the past 12 months including Recreation Ground in Tweed Heads, Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah – Place of Stories at Jack Evans Boat Harbour, Fingal Foreshore Park and now Ray Pascoe Park.
Find out more about the project at yoursaytweed.com.au/raypascoepark
For more information on the NSW Regional Housing Fund visit planning.nsw.gov.au/plans-for-your-area/infrastructure-funding/nsw-regional-housing-fund
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