Redevelopment of the 10-hectare community park designed by Context is complete and the park is now open to the public.
The site of Tench Reserve is narrow and undulating, constrained on each side by the Nepean River, a motorway and housing developments. The first stage of the masterplan, focusing on the riverside precinct, was composed of improvements to community facilities, inducing the addition of a Changing Places facility by Hill Thalis Architecture, accessible picnic areas and seating, inclusive play spaces, new pathways, native planting, and a public art installation by art and architecture studio Cave Urban. It was completed in February 2023. The second and final stage involved the revitalization of the wharf recreation precinct and saw the addition of hubs on the riverbank and an amphitheatre for community events. It opened in December 2023.
“Our team worked with the NSW Government to consult industry and local experts on what design interventions would be suitable for this unique site. Engagement was carried out with the local community to ensure their ideas and feedback informed the concept and final design,” said Context director Hamish Dounan.
Context worked with Indigenous design and strategy studio Balarinji who consulted with locally connected Aboriginal knowledge holders.
“Our engagement with the local Indigenous community foregrounded opportunities for how the design could deepen the park’s sense of place and provide an understanding of the Aboriginal cultural and spiritual context of the site,” said Dounan.
The design aligns with the City of Penrith’s Nepean River master Plan (developed by Cloustin Associates) in seeking to foster connections between the community and the water and its different ecologies. The park was redeveloped as part of the NSW Government’s Parks for People Program, a $50 million program that aims to create better access to public open space across Greater Sydney.
