Mamaku has 2 year wait for playground upgrade

The residents' association in Mamaku are unhappy about the state of the town's playground.

They believe the council should be upgrading the facility, at the Mamaku Domain, which has only five pieces of equipment for children to play on.

The Rotorua District Council has reported a bad history of vandalism at the playground in the past, but says there are plans to upgrade the playground in 2015.

Rotorua District Council parks and recreation manager Garry Page said there was between $30,000-$40,000 put aside in the 10-year plan for the upgrade.

He said they were planning to stretch the budget "as far as it will go" and will include a skate facility. Vandalism was a real issue in Mamaku but it was not the reason they were waiting another two years before upgrading.

He said it was simply a case of doing up the facility when there was money available.

Mamaku Residents' Association chairman John Rush said the playground was very bland.

"[Two years ago] we had some of our kids go through and assess it. Those children went around other playgrounds and said this is what they would like to see."

He said, after the assessment, they submitted to the council.

Mr Rush said that during the past few years they had only seen dangerous equipment taken out of the playground, rather than new facilities being brought in.

He said they wanted a decent playground so children could play there and keep out of trouble, and parents could go somewhere nice with their children.

Excluding Mamaku School, the playground is the only one of its kind in Mamaku.