The popular children’s playground on Normanby Road at the foot of Maungawhau / Mt Eden is getting a makeover. The old playground has been removed and a brand new adventure park will be in place by mid-December, in time for school holidays.
Scott De Silva, Manager Tūpuna Maunga at Auckland Council, says the main focus of this project has been safety, design for all ages, and of course fun for the kids.
“The old playground was fairly basic and due for replacement, so we’ve taken the opportunity to make a lot of improvements and add some pretty neat new features that we know the kids will love.
“The layout and equipment for the new playground have been designed to cater for a wider range of ages and ability, with everything from swings and a push-train for the young ones to a flying fox and a fantastic climbing net in the shape of a volcanic cone, an appropriate nod to Maungawhau, for the older kids.”
The playground will include:
- Cushion-fall safety surface
- Seating
- Triple bay swing
- Climbing/swinging play module
- Double adventure tower and tube slide
- Second slide tower
- 6-metre high climbing net in the shape of a maunga
- Bridge connecting the towers to the climbing net
- Seesaw
- Spinner
- Hand-pushed train ride
- New flying fox
"The main focus on this project has been safety, design for all ages, and of course fun for the kids"
Peter Haynes, Albert-Eden Local Board chair says, “This has been worth waiting for. The end result will be one of the coolest and most exciting playgrounds in the area. Countless children will get untold enjoyment out of the new space.”
Natural design
Mana Whenua were consulted on design options and the colour scheme for the new playground to help ensure a natural and appropriate fit with Maungawhau. Suggestions included that, where possible, natural colours be used instead of the traditional play equipment colours, wood be used instead of steel, and the covers on the towers have a thatched roof rather than plastic.
“Over the last few months we’ve worked with a great team of designers at Playground Centre to incorporate these suggestions and come up with a really fun adventure park that fits with the maunga. We love the design and we’re sure the kids will too,” says De Silva.
Maunga Authority
Maungawhau / Mt Eden is one of the 14 Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountains) returned to Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau under the Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Act 2014, marking an important milestone for these taonga and new guidelines for their care, use and management.
The maunga are administered by the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority, and the operational management is undertaken by Auckland Council. More information about the co-governance arrangement can be found on the council website here.
