The new multi-million-dollar sports and recreation park taking shape at Hobsonville will give locals and sports clubs access to several new facilities that will open soon at Te Kori Scott Point.
There are also plans to build a pedestrian crossing at Clark Road using some of Upper Harbour Local Board’s Transport Capital Fund.
Staged delivery of the park
Board chair Anna Atkinson says progress has been steady and the significant investment of $36 million matches the high level of growth in the area. With the first stage of the build now complete, the next stage will see most of the park’s green spaces open to the community.
“With the park being built in several stages as funds become available, along with the challenge of escalating construction costs, and higher costs caused by unforeseen ground conditions early on, the project has been impacted.
“Unfortunately, everything planned for this stage can’t be delivered, and the project team’s focus has shifted to finishing projects to a standard that enables the park to open for both sport and recreation purposes.”
This stage sees the park boundary along Squadron Drive finished, berms and footpaths completed, the two sand carpet sportsfields sown (fields 2 and 3), more paths constructed, landscape planting completed, and signage and park furniture installed.
New pedestrian crossing
Atkinson says the community and local board are very grateful to volunteers from the nearby retirement village who help children safely cross Clark Road.
“There are up to 130 children a day crossing Clark Road to access the shared path through the park to the local primary school. Some cars are driving too fast through there which is putting children in danger. That makes a full pedestrian crossing, a priority for our community and local board.”
The Joshua Carder Drive and Craigs Way extensions, and roundabout, are almost complete but before roads can legally open, Auckland Transport approval is required which involves a review of the line marking, and consultation with the community and emergency services, expected to be completed by December.
Atkinson says while this delay is extremely disappointing for the local community and board, pedestrian access between Craigs Way and Joshua Carder Drive is a priority. But before it can happen, the buildings and future ecological areas need to be fenced which should be completed in October.
Construction follows the park’s masterplan
Construction continues to follow the park’s masterplan and the design received a leading design rating award from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council but due to budget constraints, council staff will not apply for a rating for the park’s construction.
With the sports fields’ platforms built, and as the grass grows, the fields can be used as open space. Specialist sportsfield components - the underground water storage tanks and the under-field wicking system for field 1 – are on hold. As more funds become available, the fields will be completed, and a second baseball diamond built.
Facilities on hand for community use include pedestrian and cycle access from Joshua Carder Drive to Clark Road, and the Squadron Drive extension, and access to informal recreation and landscaped areas including the natural spring.
The current stage of work expected to be completed by June includes:
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the baseball diamond with its artificial surface and backstop fencing
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sports fields 2 and 3 which can be booked through the council’s booking system
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sports fields 1,4 and 5 as open space areas for general use
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the car park
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the toilet and changing facility
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park furniture such as seating and drinking fountains, and directional signage.
These facilities will open as soon as they are finished which may be earlier than June .
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