New playground for Karenga Park in Koutu

Karenga Park in Koutu. Photo / Rotorua Lakes Council

Karenga Park in Koutu is getting a new playground and public toilets.

The new playground will include a double play tower with a slide, an accessible basket swing, spinning carousel, waka design seesaw suitable, nature play featuring tree logs, stepping logs, play tables, rocks and plants and an interactive board game panel.

In a statement today, Rotorua Lakes Council said: “during engagement with residents and tamariki we heard that it was important to bring the playground closer to the existing public spaces, and that the design should reflect the local community and natural environment.”

Construction was expected to take four weeks, weather permitting.

A design of the new park at Karenga Park in Koutu. Photo / Rotorua Lakes Council

A council spokesperson said the council could confirm the budget once the playground was completed but the total budget for playground renewals in Rotorua for this financial year was $1.1million.

The council owns and maintains 78 playgrounds across Rotorua and each playground was “prioritised according to the condition of the play equipment and suitability for the community using it.”

The spokesperson said the next playground to be renewed would be Boyes Park in Glenholme.

“We are in the pre-construction phase at the moment and engagement with the community took place late last year.”