The Mount Isa Fun Park will undergo construction when it receives its first major works since its inception over a decade ago.
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Mount Isa City Council has secured state and federal funding to inject $5.1 million worth of refurbishment works into the Fun Park and skate park, which Council believe should deliver long lasting improvements to the facilities.
MICC Mayor Danielle Slade said the current state of the Fun Park was not good.
"I am not happy with the condition of the Fun Park, but as a Council we agreed that we were hesitant to spend anymore money maintaining the current facility when we were going to pull it all out with the $5 million upgrade," Cr Slade said.
"We have continued to make sure the facility is clean and tidy, we acknowledge it is overdue for an upgrade and we are a bit frustrated as we would like to see works start already."
Cr Slade said there had been debates over replacing existing equipment and shade structures for the new facility.
"The funding for the refurbishment was just to replace existing play equipment, but I said to Council that when locals would walk into the facility after the $5 million has been spent and they were going to be disappointed if we just replaced the same things that were there. I know I would be. So Cr Kim Coghlan and I were very strong about needing more new play equipment.
"There was also a debate over shade structures at the facility. I didn't want to replace the shade sails, they look great but don't offer a lot of protection to people using the facility, the soft surfacing or the infrastructure.
"It would not be a shed but it would definitely be a hard shade structure and we would like to see this over the skate park, more shade in Splashez and definitely at the Fun Park. As much as there is a place for shade sails elsewhere where people are sitting or playing, we wanted something more permanent and safe."
Cr Slade said maintaining social infrastructure was a vital part of increasing the livability in Mount Isa.
"One of our roles as Council is to help attract and retain residents to Mount Isa, so social infrastructure is extremely important," she said.
"As someone who has grown up in Mount Isa I have realised that people who come to town have a higher expectation of what is available to them as a family and their children, so we know we have to up our game and it's something we are focusing on."
Cr Slade said before construction would commence, Council would release the design plan to the community for feedback.
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