Entry received from: Nelson City Council
Category: The Beca Award for Placemaking
A new community playground, Te Pā Harakeke, opened in November 2022. Part of the popular Tahunanui Beach Reserve, Te Pā Harakeke transformed an existing but underutilised recreational space so that it can be enjoyed now and for many generations to come.
Te Pā Harakeke redeveloped The Modellers Pond area, where a pond was first built in the 1930s. A miniature railway was added in the 1960s. The Pond was once regularly used by model boat enthusiasts and combined with the miniature railway was popular with locals and visitors. However, over time the pond's use had become restricted as it silted up, choked by thick weed and regularly covered with a scum of smelly algae, meaning this valuable community space was being underutilized and expensive to maintain.
Over 20 years Nelson Council City trialed many solutions to solve the problem of the polluted pond. After consultation with iwi and the community it was decided to create a new playground that embraced its coastal location and created a natural, imaginative play space for the young and young at heart. The new park features natural play equipment, including a rope climbing course, 'floor is lava' trail, hammocks, a tepee and a bird-watching
hut.
Thank you to our category sponsor