Papakura Local Board has approved a list of parks and open spaces to be sent for consideration for the gift of a te reo Māori name.
The board is one of 14 that support Te Kete Rukuruku, a programme working with mana whenua to ensure names reflect Māori history by adding names to public places.
Names are gifted by mana whenua with the appropriate whakapapa and mana to provide them for an area.
Only nine per cent of parks and places across Tāmaki Makarau currently have Māori names.
The first names should be made public next year. Examples of the plan in practice include Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain in Howick and Te Wharau o Horotiu / Bledisloe House in the city.
A move to exclude four parks – Elsie Morton, Marybeth, Ray Small and Chichester – was rejected, with board members saying even though they were named for people, a Māori name would sit alongside the name, not replace it.
Neighbouring Franklin, where there are 364 parks but only 27 with a Māori name, has also approved a list.
Papakura Local Board has also approved Park Green Avenue and Port Way as new road names for Hugh Green Ltd’s Hingaia development, both names coming from County Donegal in Green’s native Ireland.
The company has developed numerous sites in the area, all named after Donegal towns.
After a meeting with Ngati Tamaoho, it was agreed the developer would retain control over road names but would provide for iwi to name physical features and walking tracks proposed as part of the development.
