Napier flood: Playcentre finally reopens, six months on

Amelia Anderson and Alfie Arends playing in the crafts section at Ashridge Road Playcentre. Photo / Louise Gould

Six months on from the Napier flood, the children at Ashridge Road Playcentre were finally allowed to run around and play on their usual turf.

The Napier South Centre was virtually underwater after the deluge struck on November 9, 2020.

Ashridge Playcentre president Helena Robinson said even with the building being quite high off the ground, the water had risen 10cm high inside.

"We've got families next door, just a couple of houses down, who could obviously see what was happening," she said.

"They called me and ran over and started lifting everything off the floor."

Robinson said the parents' quick thinking and helped save a lot of resources but water got underneath the old vinyl floor.

In some places around the Napier South property the water was knee deep, 10cm of water flooded the whole building. Photo / Supplied

"Knowing it was 'mucky water', we kind of just had to throw everything it touched," she said.

Monday was the playcentre's first day back in the Ashridge Road building.

A total of 12 children, aged six months to four, were back enjoying the centre, which has been a part of the local community for 40 years.

Robinson said the Ministry of Education gave them the go-ahead to open on the evening of Friday May 21.

"It was a bit stressful and a bit of a scramble to open on Monday," she said.

But, the president said, it's been amazing to finally open.

"We did face painting first thing and the kids just jumped straight in."

The Ashridge Road Playcentre has been part of the local community for 40 years. Photo / Louise Gould

While the repairs were being made - replacing the flooring, outside matting, the sandpit, getting new kitchen appliances and furniture – they were able to use the old kindergarten rooms at Napier Baptist Church.

"We were at the church, which was good, but it was super-limited – we couldn't have shared food, like we have here, or paint. Or anything like that," she said.

Ashridge Road Playcentre is cooperative-run, it has just has one employee and is primarily run by volunteers and parents.

Being without the centre for half a year, Robinson and the volunteer parents were concerned they would not get new families through or enrolments, which is how they make money and keep the place going.

But with support from Playcentre Aotearoa and its insurance company, "they've made it through".

Mother and volunteer Katy Anderson said the place having to close was "gutting", as it felt like a second home for her and her children.

"It's got some new bits but it ultimately feels the same. There's a lot of history here, it's a place for the kids to come and go wild," she said.