Puketāpapa Local Board is continuing to make parks and play areas safer and more comfortable for everyone in the community.
A lack of shelter can deter people from using parks and open spaces. In 2018, Puketāpapa Local Board undertook research into how diverse cultural communities’ value and use local parks, with a focus on what the barriers to using parks are and what kind of one-off activities and ongoing programmes are needed so that Auckland Council can better serve these communities.
The report stated, "When asked what was preventing people from using parks one of the most common theme was a lack of shelter and seating (particularly prominent with Chinese and Korean participants)."
Additionally, the Earth Action Trust interviewee also observed: "with increasing adverse weather events and effects of climate change there will be even more of a need for covered areas in parks."
In response to the findings and community feedback, this year, the local board has commissioned an assessment of existing and future potential of building shade and shelter across parks in the local board area. This will help the board to decide specific locations to prioritise investment in building new shelters (or direct it to other facilities) over the coming months.
