YEAR 3 schoolgirl Poppy Lane’s colourful artwork featuring ice-creams, sailing boats, and her pet dog is being enjoyed by a much larger audience than she ever expected.
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That’s because Poppy’s design has been chosen by Lake Macquarie City Council to adorn a ping pong table that doubles as installation art.
The table has become the centrepiece of the newly revamped Warners Bay foreshore.
With an eye-catching design, bright colours and items emblematic of activity on the foreshore, the table art was selected from dozens of entries in a design competition earlier this year.
Mayor Kay Fraser said Poppy’s artwork captured the colour and vibrancy of the popular foreshore precinct.
“Judges in the competition were not informed of the age of entrants, but Poppy’s design was selected ahead of entries from accomplished artists many years her senior,” Cr Fraser said.
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“The new table is equally a piece of art and a functional piece of recreation equipment that encourages physical activity and activation of the Warners Bay foreshore.”
Ping pong bats and balls will be offered to the public in a three-month trial of an honour system.
The equipment will be available free of charge from Ground Control Chippery, across the road from the new table.
The Warners Bay installation is part of a $3.5-million upgrade of the foreshore precinct, including new landscaping, tree planting, seating, a shared pathway and a new plaza area.
Poppy, 9, said she drew inspiration for her design from visits to Warners Bay.
“I love to play at the park, eat fish and chips and ice cream, and watch the boats on the lake sailing past,” Poppy said.
“Being at the lake makes me feel happy, and I tried to show this in my design.”
Fittingly, Poppy’s design also features her beloved pet cavoodle, Happy.
“I couldn’t believe it when my mum told me I had won – I screamed with excitement,” Poppy said.
“I worked very hard on the design and I was so happy the judges liked it, too.”
Cr Fraser said the provision of free bats and balls aimed to make it as easy as possible for people using the foreshore to make the most of the new table.
“Hopefully, people will respect the honour system and take care of the equipment so the rest of the community can enjoy it too,” she said.
