The 2528 Child Friendly by Design project (CFbD), operating under Healthy Cities Illawarra (HCI), was designed to identify places in the Shellharbour area that needed improvements to better accommodate children and families.

Crew Park in Warilla was highlighted, through a community consultation process, as an area that was in neglect, bland and needed facilities for the local children.

CFbD coordinator Nikke Gladwin said there were a variety of stepping stones taken by all the people involved to arrive at the finish line.

“For the last two years, this day has been a vision and a shared aspiration in the community,” she said.

“When we started this park it was a no-go area, regularly misused and an area that was generally avoided by the local community.

“Now we can come to this space as a united community and celebrate a project that all of us achieved together.”

President of HCI Dave Fildes said the area would be of great value for the Warilla community for years to come.

“Between all of the families, residents and community groups we have created a space that local families and kids can get together, communicate in a nice environment and connect to a local place” he said.

“We are very happy to be opening this park up as the first in the Shellharbour region.”