The Wentworth Falls Chamber of Commerce has pleaded with Blue Mountains City Council to remove the barricades from a large portion of the grassed area at Wentworth Falls Lake.
In a letter, also sent to the Gazette, the chamber president Lew Hird expressed "outrage" to the mayor and the three local councillors that some 30-40 per cent of the park is closed off due to early works for the proposed new play equipment.
"It's arguably the busiest tourist period of the year and council has barricaded some 30-40 per cent of the lake park," he said. "Obviously no work will be performed over the Easter period."
"Why in heaven's name in the busiest tourist period of the year is access constrained to a significant tourist facility which provides a recreation facility to locals and tourists and provides significant business to the Wentworth Falls village?"
Mr Hird is concerned about the "disappointment of people who have endured hours in the traffic who have arranged to meet with family at the lake over this period". He has asked council to start work on the playground facility at the end of the school holidays.
The area is fenced off for preparatory environmental work for the playground, which has been delayed due to the recent wet weather.
Mr Hird said it shows "a total lack of empathy [for] residents, tourists ... the tourism and business community in the Mountains has suffered enough with bushfires, COVID19 and now the end of JobKeeper".
Mayor Mark Greenhill said being "an operational matter" he "immediately referred Mr Hird's concern to officers who responded straight away".
A council spokeswoman said: "Work has commenced on the new play space after being delayed by three weeks due to rain. It is being delivered in a short timeline, by June, given the popularity of the park."
She added "construction fencing is ... for the safety of the community and visitors" and the "fencing is not impeding any playground equipment".
In a statement deputy mayor Chris Van Der Kley said the councillors had not received any complaints, "barriers are away from the play equipment ... people are enjoying the long weekend. Local families have waited long enough. There is no reason to delay another second." Cr Romola Hollywood added she visited the area on Good Friday and "barriers were impeding no one."
More than 400 people gave ideas about the play area. It will include a climbing tower, swings, a giant slide and inclusive elements. The masterplan and plan of management on the park was unanimously adopted at the March council meeting and will go on public exhibition for 42 days after Easter.
