Recent path upgrades in Waiatarua Reserve have seen a revival of the morning walk in Meadowbank.
Home to one of Auckland’s biggest urban wetlands, the reserve has a tendency to flood, impacting the useability of the paths. After the weather events in early 2023, Ōrākei Local Board initiated the renewal of the paths.
The first stage was completed in mid-2024, making the paths walkable again at a total cost of $220,000 to the local board.
A resident who lives on the edge of the reserve, Yolanda Thorp, has been coming here for over 30 years. She describes it as “an incredibly popular park”.
“The paths were very badly waterlogged,” says Yolanda, describing the paths before the renewal work.
“Now it’s a much more useable path, it made a huge improvement. We’re grateful that the Ōrākei Local Board are looking at long-term maintenance.”
The project involved raising sections of the path network throughout the reserve and making improvements such as installing new edge boards and topping up compacted gravel.
The Grand Drive entrance has new asphalt paths too, where you can start a loop walk of the reserve which takes around an hour.
The gravel track is flat and is suitable for more robust pushchairs. It can still get muddy when it rains, so solid footwear is recommended.
Taking regular walks or runs at your favourite local park has physical and mental health benefits, and Waiatarua Reserve also offers a playground, skate ramp and bird viewing platforms to entertain the whole whānau.
The second stage of the path renewals is set to take place in early 2026. Other recently renewed walkways in the area include the tracks around another important ecological reserve – Tahuna Torea Nature Reserve.
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