Joyful moment for Cooper

There is nothing like joy that showed on Cooper Perram’s face when he had his first swing on the new Liberty Swing at the Adventure Playground at Marie Bashir Park yesterday afternoon.

The swing will give Cooper and others like him the chance to visit the park and be with other kids at the playground.

Until now, some children like Cooper have had to sit and watch from the sidelines as their siblings experience the freedom and exhilaration of a swing – something that most of us have taken for granted.

The Swing, manufactured in Sydney, Australia, allows children and adults to experience the thrill of a swing, many of whom have never had this opportunity before. Providing facilities for community members of all abilities is a high priority for local government councils like Narrandera.

Attending the official launch of the swing in Narrandera yesterday Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said it was wonderful to see another element of Narrandera Council’s reinvigoration of Marie Bashir Park completed and open to the public.

“Back in March, I announced a $673,000 funding package for Narrandera through the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities program, with $404,000 earmarked for improvements to the park.

“This is such an inclusive and welcoming community and I’m so pleased this fund has improved accessibility to this stunning, central space by extending the joy of the swing to people in wheelchairs.

“Congratulations to the Council for getting in there and getting this done, I can’t wait to see the rest of the planned projects completed,” Ms Cooke said.

The Liberty Swing project was part of the NSW Government Funding Program Stronger Country Communities.

The funding provided the Narrandera Council with an opportunity to implement some excellent new features in the park for the community and travellers to enjoy.

Cooper had the privilege of trying the swing out for the first time. “I feel very comfortable and safe in here; I can’t wait to come back and use it every day!” he said.

Narrandera Mayor Neville Kschenka said the location of the liberty swing was chosen to ensure inclusion of children of all ages and abilities in the playground.

“Council hopes that the swing will also be visited by residents from aged care facilities to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of ‘having a swing’ for those with dementia,” he said.