“Engagement is set to start in the coming months.”
A local mother of three children aged 3, 8, and 10, Gloria Folau, told Local Democracy Reporting the upgrade would mean “everything” to her and her family.
“For us, if I want somewhere safe for them, we’ve got to drive down to the beach park,” Folau said.
“It will be so cool for my kids. I always wonder about [the Centennial Crescent play area] – what a waste of space. It’s a massive area that never gets used.
“If it were maintained better, and more welcoming, more people would use it.”
According to the report, the council’s play spaces renewal budget amounts to $300,000 until 2027.
The Elgin project will cost $190,000, making it the “only significant play space renewal” for the remainder of the three-year plan period (2024-27).
Phase one is set to be funded and completed by 2027, with phase two dependent on funding from the next long-term plan (2027-37).
Council play advocate Katie Kennedy whose role is funded through Sport New Zealand, told the meeting the region has competing needs.
“However, Elgin has some of the poorest play assets in the region and has seen decades of underinvestment,” said Kennedy.
Gisborne’s play spaces network has an average age of 15 years (22.5 years in rural locations, 16.5 years in urban areas and eight years in coastal townships), according to the meeting’s report.
Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga said it blew his mind that there was an “island of underinvestment” in the city.
He said the majority of the play spaces renewal budget was going into Elgin because “there has been bugger-all that has been invested into Elgin”.
Councillor Andy Cranston said Elgin had been in the council’s sights for quite some time, but they struggled to find somewhere to put facilities.
Out of Gisborne’s 41 council-owned play spaces, there are no fully accessible play spaces that support people with physical, sensory, developmental or neurodiverse needs, said council asset manager Angela Newman.
When asked whether the Elgin playground could be inclusive, she said one of the benefits of using universal design is making play spaces accessible for everyone.
“The recommendation is we would work closely with the community, but that is certainly something we have identified we have a shortage of, and we would hope that that would be well considered,” Newman said.
Neighbourhood Playgrounds ‘outdated’
“Our urban neighbourhood play spaces are often outdated, low-quality and lack variety,” said Newman.
“Across the network, eight out of 22 only have a single swing set.”
She said that outside townships, renewals have mostly been reactive, focusing on fixing failing equipment without upgrades.
Twenty-three play spaces will need upgrades within the next 12 years, based on a 25-year asset life cycle, she said.
Prices are rising and safety standards have evolved.
What would have once cost $50,000 to $100,000 to create as a neighbourhood-level play space is now costing between $150,000 and $200,000.
“That’s equivalent to our entire annual play spaces budget.”
Communities tell the council they want high-quality, inclusive spaces like those they see outside the region, but that’s not achievable with the funding available, said Newman.
Kennedy said that as part of the Tairāwhiti Playspaces Study, they have been trialling new approaches to support a more responsive and sustainable future network.
“We’ve introduced a bespoke natural plan using locally sourced, durable timber. These have added benefits of supporting local businesses, reducing our carbon footprint and can be recycled at the end of their life.”
Townships and play spaces
Newman said most new play spaces came from township budgets; however, as communities shifted their priorities towards resilient infrastructure, play spaces received less attention than they once did.
Councillor Rawinia Parata said the playground was a safe space.
“The playground is a magnetic pool for the wellness of the township. When the playground is thriving and the kids are out, it tells you that everything is going to be all right in that community,” Parata said.
She said she wants play spaces to be prioritised in the next budget, in the same way as the council prioritises roads.
“That township money should be for the initiatives and aspirations of that community, but right now, we use the township money for core council business, which is to upgrade and maintain playground spaces.
“You’re right, it’s really expensive, but the return on investment is generational.”
