BENDIGO councillors have given an Epsom playground slated for removal a stay of execution.
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It follows a petition from residents opposing plans to get rid of a Melbury Court facility the council said is "reaching the end of its life."
The council will now keep the ageing space for between three and five years and monitor it until a complete renewal is required, following a vote at Wednesday night's meeting.
Petition organiser Lachlan O'Toole was "extremely pleased" with the vote.
"They did the right thing in the end," he said.
No councillor spoke in favour of an alternative option which would have seen play equipment scrapped for "fun goals", trees and picnic settings.
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Residents are already forming plans for the space, Mr O'Toole said.
"They've got a few ideas of what they would like to add to it, like a community veggie garden or a barbecue," he said.
"I'll have a talk with a few more people around the area and, as one of the councillors said, we continue to ask and they can continue to listen."
That councillor, Malcolm Pethybridge, told the community it would need to keep organising.
"I'd go as far as saying 'why don't you make a play committee, a president, a secretary and treasurer then put something towards a plan for the play space?' Council will help those who help themselves," he said during pre-vote discussions.
Mr O'Toole said that kind of effort may need to be done by another person, should residents want to go ahead with that kind of effort.
"I've got work a young family and a lot of things to do. But if there is somebody in our community who would like to take that on then I'd encourage it, for sure," he said.