Anderson Park Destination PlaygroundTe papa tākaro o Te Papa Rēhia o Anderson

Planning started: 2015
Construction commenced: December 2017
Construction completed: July 2018

Napier's Anderson Park Destination Playground opened in July 2018.

A joint production between Napier City Council, designers Boffa Miskell, and McNatty Construction, it includes accessible and imaginative structures for climbing and sliding, flying foxes, swings, water play, and functional artwork with messages in braille and interactive elements, including a xylophone, musical bridge and drums.

Other features include:

• Graduated physical challenges
• All physical challenges provided for at all age levels; swinging, sliding, climbing, spinning
• High and low activity areas for all ages
• Contrasting experiences
• Structured and non-structured play experiences
• Areas to provide elevation, enclosure and sensory experiences
• Storytelling and verbal communication prompts
• Learning opportunities
• Family environment, picnic seating and shelter
• Natural play environment in balance with other play possibilities
• Visual circulation cueing on ground plane
• Non-isolating play equipment
• Transition features - younger children are provided for at the western end, and older children at the eastern end, where the skate bowl already exists.

In October 2018, the Anderson Park Playground won the 2018 New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) Outstanding Park Award.

Background

Anderson Park is a large, popular, 36ha park with a well-used pathway network. The key attractions are the playground, ponds, model railway and model boats. The park also has a good range of mature trees, pathways and wide open green spaces that make it a desirable venue for family picnics and community events such as concerts, festivals and markets.

A Destination Playground is a playground aimed at families and provides an opportunity for a “day out”. They are designed to promote family interaction with diverse play opportunities for children, teenagers and adults.

The Destination Playground and park improvements cost $2.5 million – an extended budget after overwhelming support in the 2015-2025 Council Long Term Plan consultation. See Related documents (above) for the full Anderson Park Concept Plan.