The community and the local board have given the thumbs up for a $805,000 neighbourhood park to be built in Orewa.

The project has been in the pipeline for some time, with land set aside in Harvest Avenue over five years ago, so families living in the area could easily walk to a park.

Chair of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, Gary Brown, says the feedback they received after each stage has improved the design of the park.

Gary Brown.



“Both adults and children had a say in the design, and they gave feedback in May,” he says. “Children chose the play equipment, while the adults picked the natural theme, the position of the seats and shaded areas.”

Neighbours’ feedback was also included, and the play equipment will be positioned below property sight lines.

“Unfortunately, we could not fulfil all the requests into the design, as a basketball court and a pump track are not suitable for a neighbourhood park,” says Gary.

“However, the new park will be a fantastic amenity for local families and the board is very pleased to approve its design.”

The playground is designed for those up to 13 years and comes complete with a dry pebbly stream bed with several crossing points for exploratory play, and other features: a seesaw rocker, carousel and toddler swings; junior climbing module with nets, a slide and a sand play deck; high swings and a basket swing for all abilities; challenging net climbing module with treehouse deck and slide; climbing net spinner with accessible base; wheelchair accessible trampoline; musical bridge and talk tubes; nature play trail with balance beams, logs and steppers; picnic tables (accessible) and bench seats; specimen and fruit trees; timber fence near the road which blends to a post-and-rope fence at the planted area.

Gary says the construction plans to start in March 2024 and will take about six months, depending on resource consent and tender processes.

More details are available here; 

https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2023/08/20230822_HB_AGN_11186_WEB.htm (Item 13).