Wellington’s Frank Kitts Park playground upgrade downscaled

Council are investigating safety concerns at the lighthouse slide and children's playground at Frank Kitts Park. Photo / Mark Mitchell

An upgrade of Wellington’s beloved Frank Kitts Park playground is being downscaled to the point one option under consideration is to return the waterfront land to a piece of lawn.

The playground was getting a re-vamp after its iconic slide was removed in 2021 following several incidents, including a 5-year-old who broke her leg while playing on the tower slide and required a cast from her hip to her toes.

Armstrong Downes Commercial was appointed to do the work but went into liquidation in May 2022. Later that year the council agreed to increase the budget for the playground to $9.4 million to cover increased costs from the liquidation as well as rising construction material and labour costs.

But just a few months ago the council called it quits and said the upgrade could not be delivered within the budget.

Currently, the playground has been reduced to a pile of dirt and has been blocked off from the waterfront.

The Frank Kitts Park slide was dismantled in 2021. Photo / Mark Mitchell

About $3.6m has already been spent on the upgrade including earthworks, drainage, a new lighthouse slide, a carousel, lights, and a climbing net.

Council officials have been working behind the scenes on a new plan and have recommended a rescoped design that is more simple and cost-effective.

“[It] retains both significant play value, including accessible play equipment and recreational value that will serve a variety of ages and abilities,” council documents said.

The design incorporates new equipment that’s already been purchased, will cost $3.5m on top of the $3.6m already spent, and take up to six months to build.

The design also includes additional seating, picnic tables, a shade sail, accessibility play items, and a reduced scale waka.

This is the option recommended by council officials.

A “do minimum” option has also been included in council documents for consideration by councillors, although officials consider this will fall short of public expectations. This would cost $1.5m and return the area to a piece of lawn.

The option of temporary play equipment installed in time for this summer was also explored but officials found issues with this including an increased risk of theft or vandalism and storage costs when it was no longer required.

Environment and Infrastructure Committee chairwoman councillor Tamatha Paul said “the children of Pōneke today deserve the playground that many other generations have enjoyed on the waterfront”.

“We are confident that with a rescope, this will be possible. There is solid commitment around the council table to getting this part of the waterfront reopened”

Councillors will make a decision on the way forward for the playground at a committee meeting on Thursday

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.