Rotorua lakefront redevelopment: Playground now open

Grandfather Wayne Turipa attends the opening of the new Rotorua lakefront playground with two-year-old Vintage Collier-Turipa. Photo / Laura Smith

At two years old Vintage Collier-Turipa didn't say a lot about the officially opened lakefront playground, but he did have a smile on his face.

Grandfather Wayne Turipa took Vintage to the opening of the new playground this morning, built as part of the wider $40 million Rotorua Lakefront redevelopment.

The young boy was eager to explore the play area designed in part by tamariki and including a slide, climbing ladders, pump track and flying fox. Turipa thought it was awesome.

"He's into it, gets him out from home and playing."

Rotorua Lakes councillor Tania Tapsell was excited to be at the opening.

"This has been quite a long time in the making. For decades we had plans to upgrade our playground here at the lakefront and finally we were able to do it."

The council funded $20m of the project which was matched by the Government's Provincial Growth Fund.

Stage two of the Rotorua Lakefront Redevelopment involved the building of a new playground. Photo / Laura Smith

"I've got to acknowledge Ngāti Whakaue, our local hapū we have been working alongside. They gifted this land in the past, we're making it not just a great project for the community but also to share their stories."

These were being depicted through artwork around the redevelopment.

Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson explained the project was at least three years in the making.

"There's been a lot of planning and decision making around the funding."

There had been some hiccups in the process; a spout of geothermal water close to where the flying fox is now proved to be a challenge.

"There was quite a lot of problem-solving required by the engineers and contractors to manage the geothermal that was coming out of the ground here."

Rotorua Lakes councillor Tania Tapsell and deputy mayor Dave Donaldson on the flying fox at the now-open Rotorua lakefront playground. Photo / Laura Smith

Some of the infrastructure beneath the ground was "quite old", and significant upgrades were needed.

"A lot of the $40m that has gone into this project, you can't see it. It's underground."

Isthmus associate architect Travis McGee explained to an audience of about 50 how freshwater crayfish (kōura) influenced the design, particularly with the pump track around the playground.

This was designed with the shape of the korapa in mind, the net that was used to lift kōura from the water.

"It created a really good opportunity to get some play value in here for kids on scooters and bikes, and also ground something that is very Rotorua into the playground."

Mayor Steve Chadwick expressed how the area told the story of Ngāti Whakaue as well as the lakes.

She also acknowledged the government contribution and said the project would not have gotten off the ground without it.

After a karakia, children played and the fencing that surrounded the area while it was being built was taken down.

The playground was stage two of the lakefront redevelopment, while stage one involved a new boardwalk around the lakefront.

This boardwalk will be extended out and over the water to the west of the lakefront reserve.

An additional toddler play space will be built where the existing Volcanic Playground equipment is.

Other aspects of the redevelopment included an upgrade of both the war memorial and toilets, as well as a new commercial development.