Part of the Octagon could be turned into an inner-city playground for all ages, under a new plan to be considered by the Dunedin City Council.
The Octagon location was one of four suggested in a staff report to the Dunedin City Council's community development committee yesterday.
The other options were outside the Dunedin Public Library, Albion Pl, or John Wickliffe Court.
Councillors at yesterday's committee meeting voted in favour of evaluating the idea of an inner-city playground as part of the council's planned review of its Play Strategy 2006, scheduled to begin later this year.
The strategy aimed to encourage play within communities, and ranked those most in need of upgraded playgrounds.
The latest move by councillors aimed to address a perceived lack of inner-city playgrounds following a plea by University of Otago Associate Prof Claire Freeman - a specialist in children's environments - during last year's annual plan hearings.
Yesterday, the report presented by council community and recreation policy team leader Lisa Wheeler said a new facility could be more than just a conventional playground.
"In fact, these areas should provide for all ages - a child-friendly place for the wider community where adults meet while children play, where teenagers can 'hang out' and older adults can interact or watch."
Such a facility could even help attract people to the city centre, providing an economic boost, and incorporate sculptures and other pieces of public art, her report said.
The city already had 105 playgrounds, including seven on the periphery of the central city, but none were located within the inner-city zone, her report said.
