Miss Lebanon Australia, Danielle Rahme, and Miss India Australia, Kanchan Verma. PICTURE: JOHN APPLEYARD

TWO lovely ladies enjoying a stroll in the new Harris Park playground summed up the sentiments of the day - no cultural conflict here.

Miss India Australia Kanchan Verma and Miss Lebanon Australia Danielle Rahme were special guests at last week’s opening of Rosella Park’s $200,000 playground upgrade.

Lord Mayor Tony Issa invited the young women to put a glamorous slant on harmony between Harris Park’s Indian and Lebanese communities to mend the perception that the suburb was seething with racial tension.

Harris Park has made international headlines over the past few weeks as Indian students protested over their perception that police were not doing enough to make the streets safe for them.

Some Indian students said there was tension between them and the Lebanese community something the police and community leaders have rebutted.

Misses India Australia and Lebanon Australia were representative of the community crowd which gathered at Rosella Park last Thursday to officially open the playground.

Cr Issa emphasised the need for harmony in the area before inviting the community to enjoy the day of entertainment and a free sausage sizzle.

Despite the inclement weather, people of all ages, from children through to the ``old timers’’ of Lebanese and Indian origin and representatives of the religious community enjoyed the celebration.

Parramatta local area commander Supt Robert Redfern, who is becoming a Harris Park regular, also enjoyed the day mingling with the locals.

He joined Cr Issa in praising the community for coming together in harmony. The two men both are hoping for sunnier days ahead.

Among the entertainment was music and singing from the talented students of the Australian International Conservatorium of Music which is at Harris Park.

Cr Issa said Rosella Park’s upgrade was ``the biggest development of its kind within the 2008-09 financial year’’.