Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Have your say on growing one of the world's best public gardens

Peter Tiffany
By Peter Tiffany
Editor·Waikato Herald·
15 Jul, 2020 07:11 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A treetop walk will allow vistors to stroll above the Hamilton Gardens away from car traffic. Photo / Hamilton City Council

A treetop walk will allow vistors to stroll above the Hamilton Gardens away from car traffic. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Hamilton Gardens – one of the Waikato's top visitor attractions – is holding an open day on Sunday, July 19 seeking feedback from the community as it advances plans to make it one of the world's best public gardens.

The proposed changes which address traffic congestion, parking and access issues, are part of the long-term development plan for Hamilton Gardens

The current consultation comes after Hamilton City Council revisited plans it announced in April 2019 after a strong community backlash against the original idea of moving the main carpark to the site of the Rhododendron Lawn - site of many community events including Gourmet in the Gardens.

The new proposed layout keeps the Rhododendron Lawn intact.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We now have a new solution," says the council deputy chief executive and general manager community group, Lance Vervoort.

The proposed plans of the revised expansion of car parks at the Hamilton Gardens. Photo / Hamilton City Council
The proposed plans of the revised expansion of car parks at the Hamilton Gardens. Photo / Hamilton City Council

"This new concept keeps the Rhododendron Lawn, introduces a potential new treetop walk and includes new shared paths for cyclists and pedestrians," he says in a letter inviting residents to the open day from 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

"The carpark near the rose garden will be extended; there'll be a new carpark at road level, a through road to better connect the two entrances and relieve congestion, and safer access to the gardens, whether you're on foot or wheels," Vervoot says.

Consultation on the new proposal opened on July 11 and closes on August 9. It is specifically focused on whether the new concept addresses concerns raised by the public last year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We ran a two-month consultation process on the draft Hamilton Gardens Management Plan last year and got rich feedback, including strong support for the development of several spectacular new gardens," says councillor Mark Bunting, chairman of the council's Community Committee.

"All that feedback and the views from this latest consultation will go into the mix when the Community Committee considers the draft management plan again in September."

Bunting says the consultation process shows how interaction between the community and the council works best.

"Hamiltonians obviously felt strongly about the Rhododendron Lawn aspect of the draft management plan and we listened to that. The new concept keeps a special part of the Gardens intact and tackles issues we need to resolve to make Hamilton Gardens excellent in every aspect."

Discover more

Cheaper bus fares here

06 Jul 11:27 PM

Commuter ferry service will take workers to Hamilton CBD

08 Jul 03:58 AM

Reimagining city streets as places for people

11 Jul 07:12 PM

Increased pressure on parking spaces in streets near sports grounds

16 Jul 06:16 PM
Some of the themed gardens at Hamilton Gardens. Photo / Supplied
Some of the themed gardens at Hamilton Gardens. Photo / Supplied

He says the aim is to deliver a world-class experience for local and international visitors from the time they enter Hamilton Gardens to the time they leave.

The revised layout will all see riverfront land freed up for more appropriate use, including linking the gardens to the Waikato River.

Decisions made through the 2021-31 Long-Term Plan process will determine the timing of Hamilton Gardens' development, including the proposed layout changes. The council will adopt the Long-Term Plan in June 2021.

The management plan outlines key operational aspects relating to the award-winning visitor destination and public park. It proposes developing 12 new themed gardens in addition to the four gardens currently under development.

Hamilton City Council has applied for Government Covid-19 stimulus funding to accelerate the development of Hamilton Gardens and connect the Gardens with the Waikato Museum via the river. A decision on that proposal is still pending.

If you can't make it to the open day, feedback is invited through the city council's online survey at hamilton.govt.nz/haveyoursay or by completing the form available at Hamilton libraries, the gardens information centre or the council's city offices.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

Rangitīkei fencer regains Golden Pliers title

02 Jul 06:00 PM
Waikato Herald

Enraged 'mistress' kills innocent motorist while chasing man's wife over family photo

02 Jul 06:43 AM
Waikato Herald

Popular Waikato walkway fully reopens after major upgrade

02 Jul 05:00 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Rangitīkei fencer regains Golden Pliers title
Waikato Herald

Rangitīkei fencer regains Golden Pliers title

02 Jul 06:00 PM

The 49-year-old had to miss four years of action following a shoulder injury in 2017.

Enraged 'mistress' kills innocent motorist while chasing man's wife over family photo
Waikato Herald

Enraged 'mistress' kills innocent motorist while chasing man's wife over family photo

02 Jul 06:43 AM
Popular Waikato walkway fully reopens after major upgrade
Waikato Herald

Popular Waikato walkway fully reopens after major upgrade

02 Jul 05:00 AM
Heavy rain expected for Tongariro National Park
Waikato Herald

Heavy rain expected for Tongariro National Park

02 Jul 12:53 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP