An artist’s impression of the planned Waihinga park and playground. IMAGE/SUPPLIED
STEVE RENDLE
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Work on Martinborough’s Waihinga park and playground, in front of the new Waihinga Centre, will start in the next couple of weeks, completing a four-year project.
Project co-ordinator Victoria Read is delighted that the second stage of the project is about to reach fruition, after the centre was opened earlier this year.
“We are really excited to be getting going,” Read said. “This will complete the project.
“We have a fabulous building, but surrounds let it down.”
No South Wairarapa District Council funds are being used in the project.
The overall budget is $400,000 and the Waihinga Charitable Trust has raised $307,000 in pledged and collected funds, plus $115,000 in donated items.
The park and playground have been designed by Wellington architects Wraight and Associates and the work will be carried out by Infinite Landscapes of Greytown, with Read hoping to have the job completed by November.
The aim is increased accessibility to the area.
“It will provide options for people to connect,” Read said. “It’s a mixed-use concept.”
Included in the space will be a barbecue area, park benches, play equipment, and areas to use as performance stages.
A hard surface play area incorporates the existing skate park and reshaped and resurfaced basketball, netball and ball court area.
While much of the play equipment will be new, some of the iconic play elements used by kids for decades will be repurposed and relocated.
The playground will feature a $60,000 climbing tower, already fully funded with contributions from Martinborough Lions [$50,000] and Trust House [$10,000].
A further $10,000 is required for a water play area but Read said after $3000 was raised since approval by the council last week, it was hoped to have this cost covered by the time it needed to be constructed.
