Sherwood Reserve playground in Browns Bay is open, with the first stage of its forest-theme makeover complete.
Hibiscus and Bays Local Board is upgrading the old playground in Glencoe Road, which has some equipment that is nearly 20 years old.
Now open, the playground’s central feature is a large wooden castle pavilion with a drawbridge and other play equipment, including a climbing module with a slide, monkey bars, swings, a seesaw and a large shade sail area. Best of all, for kids learning to ride scooters, are the wide concrete paths which also make for easy access.
Coming very soon is the ‘Floor as Lava’ play feature, which is a large obstacle course incorporating ideas from Northcross Intermediate students, and an assortment of wooden furniture carved by inmates from the Northland Region Corrections Facility in Kaikohe. It will take a couple more weeks to finish this stage of the playground upgrade.
Children now have safe access to most of the play areas, except for a fenced-off area that includes the Serious Air Swing, which is close to where work is underway on the ‘Floor as Lava’ feature.
Hibiscus and Bays Local Board will organise a celebration early next year once this stage is complete.
A rope climbing tower and crow’s nest, which will complete the playground upgrade, are expected to be installed next autumn.
