The meeting on September 27 at the Raiders Club will be the third in a series of four community consultations for the proposal, which would see a playground built near the shops in the Weston Creek suburb.

Momentum for the project has been growing within Waramanga for several months after a petition calling for the playground received more than 400 signatures.

The petition was then presented to the ACT government and tabled in the Legislative Assembly in June.

Weston Creek Community Council member Elizabeth Hoyt said the proposal is being actively considered by the territory government.

“The Transport Canberra and Community Service’s minister’s officer has advised they are considering the proposal alongside other proposals for the 2017-18 budget,” she said.

“We should be in pretty good standing if we are able to provide good community consultation as well as some costings and options for them.”

It’s estimated that a playground envisaged by the community council for the area near the shops could cost $350,000.

Ms Hoyt said the suburb is in desperate need of a playground area, with Waramanga being left behind compared to other suburbs in the region.

“There’s this big, wide open space that’s been sitting vacant there for 50 years, waiting for a playground to be built on it,” she said.

“The only one in the suburb is where the school is but they’re gated, so people can’t use it on weekends.”

As part of the design for the proposed playground, Ms Hoyt said it would include large shaded areas as well as multi-function play equipment.

“There would also be an emphasis on seating and shade so that children and families of all ages can enjoy the space,” she said.

Community council chairman Tom Anderson said as well as providing facilities for the growing number of families in the region, it can also boost the nearby shops.

“We can add value to the shops and it will be a good location for young families to use the playground and seating area,” he said.

TCCS has already drafted a design to the playground area.

Ms Hoyt said a final decision on whether the project will get the green light could be made in a matter of months.

“If we can provide an outcome to the minister by November, and then they can use that to inform their decisions for the 2017-18 budget that will be ongoing from November and December,” she said.

The fourth and final community consultation on the project will on October 28 at the Waramanga Block Party event.

Funds raised from the block party will be used to help fund the playground’s construction.

“Once we finalise the outcomes from the community consultations and submit it to the government, hopefully we will be able to get some positive feedback,” Ms Hoyt said.