Unprecedented public engagement by the City of Greater Geraldton has resulted in a bold community-generated concept to re-develop the Merry-Go-Round by the Sea.

The release of the community concept including viewing platforms, a slide, new merry-go-rounds and a sea platform follows heavy criticism of the City administration in 2011 for bolting the famous merry-go-round due to safety reasons.

A petition organised by student Lewis Freer resulted in an action plan by the City to get the public to decide what to do about the site rather than call in expensive consultants.

However, the concept the community has asked for will come at a high price – more than $2.2 million and the City will need to examine ways to generate the money required to progress what the community has asked for.

The City’s director of creative communities Andrea Selvey said one of the most interesting outcomes of getting the community to develop the concept was that workshop participants identified a need for equipment that catered for older teenagers that had ‘an element of danger’ – which they saw as missing since the swing was bolted.

“It was noted that the wonderful equipment along the foreshore predominantly caters to younger children,” she said.

“The community made it clear it would rather see a range of equipment that caters for teenagers rather than simply two merry-go-rounds.

One of the major components is a viewing tower with slide and a sea platform –refl ecting Randolph Stow’s original story and heritage.

Three workshops were run by Greg Rowe and Associates and included a stand at the foreshore on Australia Day with three City staff.

More than 112 people visited the stand and commented on the publicly- generated proposal.

The results were still being collated but Ms Selvey said the responses were overwhelmingly positive.

“The concepts will be the subject of a report to Council in February recognising the community aspiration for the precinct along with the challenge to fi nd the funding to support community aspirations for the precinct.”

The concept will also now go before the full council for feedback.