Julia Reserve Youth Park by JMD design

JMD design has been working with Landcom and Greenfields Development Company since 2007 to deliver the public domain component of Oran Park Town, a suburb in Southwestern Sydney. At the heart of Oran Park Town, and a key part of the Civic Precinct is Julia Reserve Youth Park. This 2-hectare public open space area provides diverse recreational, social and leisure opportunities with facilities catered for the youth of Oran Park.

JMD design developed a design language in Julia Reserve Youth Park that responds to the need for a flexible, social, active, robust and vibrant space and that includes an area to ‘watch and learn’. The park has a scale and intensity that aligns with the increasingly dense urban surroundings. From a large informal lawn at the south western corner, adjacent to Grand Prix Park, activity intensifies as it travels downstream toward the town centre, emphasizing the water axis of Julia Creek as it flows north. Adjoining the lawn is a multi-use court with a large wall for ball sports. This wall commences the intertwining progression of elements that winds its way through the play and skate areas towards the Community Centre. The high content and multi-spatial ensemble is stitched together by the highly articulated overhead arbour and framed by significant tree planting and lawns.

Two arbour structures weave their way through the site. The rhythm established by the structures (skate arbour and parkour arbour) create a dynamic relationship unique to the Youth Park. Artwork panels developed by the youth of Oran Park with Marla Guppy & Associates and Graham Chalcroft (Vertebrae) are located within the upper ‘banner’ area of the structure.

The Park embraces less traditional sport and caters to diverse ages and skill levels, bringing together beginners through to elite level athletes. The skate precinct was designed by Convic with input from students from Oran Park schools and executed by Trinity Skate. The parkour training facility, also designed by Convic is a significant addition to the burgeoning parkour movement within the Sydney region. The adjacent POPP table tennis tables feature artwork by locally based indigenous artist Danielle Mate Sullivan.