Throwing Shade
If elected I will fight to provide adequate shading over playgrounds. I will create and implement a shade policy which promotes safe and healthy outdoor play for everyone.
Shade Protection
In the middle of the blistering heat there are few options left for people who want to spent time outdoors in a sun smart way. Because the majority of playgrounds across Darebin are unshaded, it means that families must either go to public spaces such as the library or pool, or to private areas such as playcentres or shopping centres which adds to the current cost of living crisis many of us are facing.
There have been many times during summer where I have wished that we had shade and coverage so that we could let our kiddo run around without fear of him getting sunburnt. The lack of shade often means we are travelling to visit parks and playgrounds in other municipalities with better shade policies.
While the optimal solution is to provide shade with fully-grown trees, they take a long time to grow, and so having an intermediate solution makes sense. Shade protection can also work as a climate adaptation policy by reducing the overall heat that is absorbed into the ground.