Current filter:
Alcohol Licensing
Animal Control
Consents
Elections
Food Licensing
Newsletters
Parking
Rubbish & Recycling
Of our 191 parks and reserves, about 38 have playgrounds.
When developing the 2018-2028 10-year Long Term Plan, we identified a number of Hastings district playgrounds in need of complete replacement. The plan also includes minor improvements to some existing playgrounds that don’t require a complete replacement.
We have funding to fully replace two existing playgrounds a year. One of the objectives for the 10-year programme is to have all playgrounds in the district offering the levels of play provision set out in our Coming Out to Play Strategy. (To view this document head to our 'Strategies' page and scroll to 'Coming Out to Play Strategy'.)
Meissner Reserve - Full replacement of playground surfacing
The Meissner Reserve playground's surfacing was needing replacement after a decade of heavy use. To keep the play area safe, we installed a surface similar to that at Havelock North Village Green. In order to undertake this work, the playground was closed from Monday 10 February for a couple of weeks.
Frimley Park - Partial replacement of playground surfacing
Recent inspections identified areas of the old safety surfacing which were in need of repair due to them being either worn through/split or damaged. In order to replace these sections of the safety surfacing, a partial closure of the playground for a period of 2-3 weeks was required. The rest of the playground not impacting on the works remained open.
The replacement safety surfacing is similar to that used at Cornwall Park and Havelock North Village Green, and is much more durable than the old artificial turf that was replaced.
Grant Street Reserve - Partial replacement of some play equipment
Some of the equipment in this playground is almost 50 years old and two pieces are in need of replacement. The existing equipment not being replaced will be incorporated into the new playground layout.
In addition to replacing some of the playground equipment, Council is also proposing to add a new footpath and some park furniture to make the space more accessible and attractive to the local community who visit the park regularly.
Te Awanga Domain - Full replacement of playground surfacing and partial replacement of some play equipment
The safety surfacing in the Te Awanga Domain playground is in poor condition and in need of replacement. Furthermore, 3 of the 7 pieces of play equipment have either been removed or are due for removal due to heavy corrosion (with one piece not complying with the latest playground equipment safety standards).
The playground area is going to be redesigned with 2-3 new pieces of play equipment that will cater for both pre-schoolers and primary aged children, while those pieces of play equipment which are still in reasonable condition will be retained (space allowing). If some of the existing play equipment can’t be re-used in the playground, it will be moved to other playgrounds where replacement equipment is needed.
No expansion of the playground is proposed under these works, but Council is looking to include some additional shade and park furniture for the playground area, budget permitting.
| Park | Location | Replacement/New | Date completed |
| Ebbett Park | Hastings | Replacement | 2020 |
| Cornwall Park | Hastings | Replacement | 2019 |
| St Aubyn St Reserve | Hastings | New | 2022 |
| Lawrie Cooke Reserve | Hastings | New | 2022 |
| Ngaruroro Ave Reserve | Whakatu | Replacement | 2022 |
| Ron Giorgi 3 Park | Flaxmere | Replacement | 2022 |
| St Leonards Park | Hastings | Replacement | 2023 |
| Hugh Little Park | Flaxmere | Replacement | 2018 |
| Sunderland Park | Flaxmere | Replacement | 2018 |
| Flaxmere Skate Park | Flaxmere | Replacement | 2022 |
| Havelock Nth Village Green | Havelock North | Replacement of surfacing only | 2022 |
| Meissner Reserve | Havelock North | Replacement of surfacing only | 2025 |
| Frimley Park | Frimley | Partial replacement of surfacing only | 2025 |
Council’s Long Term Plan 2021-2031 outlines which playgrounds will be replaced or updated over the next 10 years. This plan includes replacement/upgrades of playgrounds at the below parks.
We assessed all playgrounds when developing the programme. Those not listed in our programme were found in a good condition, therefore they don’t need replacement.
However, if a park’s equipment is damaged, it would be replaced as a matter of course.
Elements within these existing playgrounds have either been identified as being in poor condition or do not comply with the NZ Safety standard for playgrounds, so therefore need replacing.
Existing equipment will be retained, if practical within the playgrounds, or re-used in other playgrounds around the district to keep costs down and to ensure we get maximum use out of the existing play equipment.
As part of the redevelopment of these playgrounds, consideration will be given to additional park furniture and or shade, if budget allows.
As well as carrying out general maintenance and repairs, the team that looks after the playgrounds manages the refurbishment (adding new equipment or replacing individual items), full playground upgrades, and the development of new playgrounds.
Playground refurbishments are 10 years ahead, always subject to available budget (set each year in the Annual Plan).
Overall condition and age of the equipment are key factors we consider when developing the programme for replacing playgrounds. A playground’s lifespan is about 20-25 years depending on its location. (Coastal locations typically have a shorter lifespan.)
Our plans for how we develop the park and playground are guided by the levels of play provision set out in our Coming Out to Play Strategy and depends on which category the park falls into: premier, key urban or neighbourhood. (See the next FAQ for descriptions of each category.)
Water features are typically installed on our high-use premiere parks, where they provide the most use for the level of investment. For health and safety reasons, the water cannot be recycled, so water conservation is another reason we only install water features in our busiest parks.
Before developing playground plans, we typically ask the park users and nearby residents (within 500m) what types of play equipment they would like included and how would they like to use the space. We usually do this through various channels e.g. online/print surveys, open days, flyers and school working groups. The feedback we receive during this process will help us design our plan for the park.
These are centrally located and easily accessible – attracting residents, visitors and tourists. Cornwall Park, Flaxmere Park and Havelock North Village Green are premier playgrounds, featuring unique play equipment for pre-school to secondary school age groups.
Visitors tend to spend an entire day at these parks due to the wide range of activities and amenities available.
| Play equipment | Other amenities |
|
Picnic tables, seats, shade, carparking, toilets, bins, drinking fountain, lighting, BBQ and walkway. |
These usually have about five pieces of play equipment, and cater for a wider age range than neighbourhood playgrounds. They are typically within 800 metres of homes, and people typically stay a few hours.
Examples: Puketapu Park, St Leonards Park, Waimarama Domain, Eskdale Park, Kirkpatrick Park, Te Awanga Domain, Haumoana Memorial Park, Frimley Park, Meissner Reserve, William Nelson Park, Windsor Park (Lions Playground).
| Play equipment | Other amenities |
|
Picnic tables, seats, shade, toilets (at park or nearby), bins, drinking fountain, may have BBQ, car parking nearby. |
As their name suggests, neighbourhood playgrounds are designed to offer local residents a handy place for a play, and are within easy walking distance (500m) of homes. These usually offer equipment for at least one age group, typically pre-schoolers to primary.
| Play equipment | Other amenities |
|
Seating, shade trees, rubbish bins, paths to playground. |
All play equipment and surrounding safety surfaces are inspected and maintained on a three-weekly cycle. They are expected to conform to the requirements of all current joint New Zealand and Australian safety standards and guidelines.
If you have concerns about the safe use of any play area or see damaged equipment please contact Council by emailing playgrounds@hdc.govt.nz
+64 6 871 5000
207 Lyndon Road East,
Hastings 4122
Private Bag 9002, Hastings 4156
Disclaimers | Copyright | Privacy
Disclaimers and Copyright
While every endeavour has been taken by the Hastings District Council to ensure that the information on this website is
accurate and up to date, Hastings District Council shall not be liable for any loss suffered through the use, directly or indirectly, of information on this website. Information contained has been assembled in good faith.
Some of the information available in this site is from the New Zealand Public domain and supplied by relevant
government agencies. Hastings District Council cannot accept any liability for its accuracy or content.
Portions of the information and material on this site, including data, pages, documents, online
graphics and images are protected by copyright, unless specifically notified to the contrary. Externally sourced
information or material is copyright to the respective provider.
© Hastings District Council - / +64 6 871 5000 / customerservice@hdc.govt.nz
Parks Bookings
Property
Road
My Voice My Choice
