Rowan Robinson Park to be officially opened
16 April 2018
Kingscliff High School students to play prominent role in opening
The new Rowan Robinson Park on the Kingscliff foreshore will be officially opened in a locally themed ceremony this weekend.
The ceremony will be held in the park on Saturday 21 April, featuring performances from young Kingscliff students who will hopefully go on to enjoy the park for decades to come.
The new park, which has been fully open for community use for the past month, is the centrepiece of the $22 million foreshore redevelopment project which has also included a new stabilising rock wall and the relocation of the holiday park.
The park opening event is scheduled for 9am to 1pm with formal proceedings starting at 10am.
Tweed Shire Council Manager Recreation Services Stewart Brawley said the official opening marks a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the Kingscliff beachfront.
“Rowan Robinson Park will be at the heart of the Kingscliff community long into the future and we wanted to ensure the first gathering celebrates those who the park was built for,” Mr Brawley said.
“Students from Kingscliff High School will be providing entertainment on the day with some amazing young performers taking their first steps.
“We would encourage people to bring a blanket and a picnic lunch, or grab a takeaway from one of the local cafes, and enjoy some great entertainment.”
The performances will be the first held on the stage in the middle of the park, which will host many more community celebrations in the years to come.
The park has been named in honour of Rowan Robinson, a Kingscliff High School graduate and Cudgen Headland Surf Life Saving Club member who was killed in Afghanistan in 2011.
Members of his family and his commanding officer will attend the opening and have been invited to speak.
Meanwhile work is continuing on the renovation of the Kingscliff Community Hall, on track to be completed by the end of May, while attention will also soon turn to the Lions Park area to the south of the surf club.
“Looking back at our original plans the hall renovation is actually right on schedule,” Mr Brawley said.
“The park and the holiday park were completed well ahead of schedule and I’m sure everybody in Kingscliff has enjoyed having access through to the beach as the summer winds down.
“The Lions Park upgrade will not be as extensive and will mainly involve the replacement of old furniture and shelters, better path connections and more shade.”