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Dear Santa: All the Otford kids want for Christmas is a playground

Santa may find some special requests in his mailbox at Helensburgh Library, one of seven libraries around the city where children can post letters with Christmas wishes.

“Maybe I'll write one and get my kids to 'sign' it,” said Otford mum Jessica Smith, who recently started a petition titled “Let's get the kids of Otford a playground!” at Change.org.

Jess is aiming to deliver her plea to Wollongong City Council in time for its final meeting of the year on Monday, December 16 and at publication time the petition had 86 signatures – no small feat for a suburb with 145 homes.

A mum of two young boys who keep her “busy and entertained”, Jess first noticed the lack of a local playground when her eldest was a toddler.

“There was/is nowhere for me to go with him without needing to buckle him into the car, pack the pram, find a parking spot, get everything out again, etc for him to play on a slide and with other kids in an outside and safe space,” she said. “I'm finding it hard again now my youngest is at this age!”

More families have moved to Otford over the past four years, and with that comes more children, Jess said.

She’s right: the 2021 Census recorded 89 children aged 0 to 14, up from 77 in 2016.

Jess is a project manager at a global health institute; her husband also works in public health. The couple moved from Sydney to Otford in 2017.  “It was more affordable and seemed like a beautiful part of the world,” she said. “We honestly feel so lucky to have found this little leafy town.”

Her baby boys are now growing up fast.

“They are four – four and three-quarters if you ask him! – and 18 months. They are active kiddos and just want to be running, jumping (tumbling) and generally just always moving!”

Jess and her family on a recent peach-picking adventure at Glenbernie Orchard

Both boys attend daycare or preschool three or four days a week. “Then we just hang out and go on adventures the other days.”

Rather than to drive to Stanwell Park or Helensburgh to play with other children, Jess would love a community space where parents can connect in Otford. Currently, there is just one swing near the hall.

Michelle Barry works in Child Health Promotion at local charity Healthy Cities Illawarra, which created the free Play Illawarra website in collaboration with the Illawarra's four councils to support play as a right for every child. 

"Playgrounds are key connection points in neighbourhoods and allow children to play and families to form friendships," Michelle says. "It can be a safe meeting point and having them within walking distance of houses allows the freedom of play without having to drive and promotes active, healthy, connected communities." 

Jessica's petition for an Otford playground also recognises the rewards for active kids. “The local families would love something they can walk to, to reduce the carbon footprint of driving and get our bodies (big and small) moving," she writes.

“Please help us get the word out and get more signatures for our petition to take to council on December 16th. It would be amazing to make this a Christmas wish come true!”

To sign the petition, go to Change.org.

The Illawarra Flame has contacted Wollongong City Council for comment.

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