Henderson-Massey residents have celebrated the official opening of the new $4.1 million Royal Reserve Playground in Massey, with a BBQ and live music on offer for the community to enjoy.
Funded by Henderson-Massey Local Board, the opening follows an 18-month construction period that turned an overgrown field into one of the best playgrounds in Auckland.
The playground boasts custom-built towers, an accessible junior play area, learn-to-ride bike tracks for juniors and seniors and the only two-metre-wide hill slide in Auckland.
Jewel in the crown
Henderson-Massey Local Board Chair Shane Henderson says the park is a jewel in west Auckland’s crown.
“This is a special park; there's no doubt about it,” says Henderson.
“It provides for children of all ages and is exactly what we envisaged the park would be when we commissioned it.
“We have known for some time that the community in Massey needed a playground that would cater for the needs of the young families that live here, and I am so pleased that we have been able to deliver this for them.
“It’s clear from the feedback that we have had that people really love this park and that’s a testament to the hard work that the council has put into making this a reality, putting the needs of the community first."
More parks than anywhere else
“Henderson-Massey Local Board has more parks than any other board in Auckland and spends $13 million each year maintaining them all. Providing facilities like this for our community is what we do and underlines our commitment to providing high-quality parks in our area.
“You could see from the reaction we got at the opening that this will be a much-loved and well-used facility. I couldn’t be happier that the board have been able to provide such a fantastic facility for this community.”