Maraenui to get $500,000 splash pad development for summer

The splash pad development, set to cost an estimated $500,000, will feature ground sprays, archways and an assortment of water-play toys.

An open space in the centre of Maraenui, Napier, is being transformed into a splash pad in time for summer.

Road and car parking changes are commencing this week near the Maraenui Shops for the construction of an outdoor water-play area for tamariki.

The splash pad development, set to cost an estimated $500,000, will feature ground sprays, archways and an assortment of water-play toys, as well as a barbecue and seating area, a Napier City Council spokesperson said.

The initial roading and landscaping stages are expected to take about six weeks and the splash pad is intended to be fully installed and ready to go by summer.

A concept image of the development suggests there will also be a net gain in the number of carparks available near the shops as a result.

Kuljit Parihar, manager of the Maraenui Four Square, says she is happy tamariki will get to utilise the splash pad in summer, saying "we needed something like that to keep the kids busy".

Parihar sees the splash pad as a "handy option" for whānau who cannot access other swimming spots during summer and as a potential positive force within the community.