New Rotorua lakefront playground a hit for out-of-towners

From left, Stevie Anderson, 8, and Phoenix Anderson, 7. Photo / Andrew Warner

Out-of-towners are flocking to the new Rotorua lakefront playground, and it's proving to be a hit.

The $40 million lakefront redevelopment project, being completed in stages, opened its newest addition – the playground – on December 17.

Aucklander Sarah King visited the playground on Friday with her children Manaia, 15, Ruby, 12, and Coco, who is 6.

King, on a visit to Rotorua that had been postponed multiple times due to Auckland's lockdown, said the new playground was "amazing" and she hoped to find a similar playground back home.

"There's something for everyone with the basketball court and scooters and picnic barbecues. It's a great family area."

She said she didn't want to see railings on the lakefront boardwalk for children's safety because it would "ruin the look of it".

"It's about being aware of what your kids are doing."

Coco King (Te Arawa), 6. Photo / Andrew Warner

Cain and Shaney Anderson, also from Auckland, were staying at a nearby hotel and brought their two children Stevie, 8, and Phoenix, 7, to the playground.

"We can kill a couple of hours for free here. If the kids are happy, I'm happy," Cain Anderson said.

Shaney Anderson said she liked the lights on the redevelopment at night but she thought a water feature play area for children would enhance it further.

"It's pretty amazing compared to what it was. It's a decent upgrade.

"There's so much going on. I love Rotorua."

Whakatāne father Brendan Mitchell brought his two children, aged 5 and 3, to the new playground.

He said their response had been "so far, so good" and he wished Whakatane had a similar offering.

Also from Whakatāne, Cheryl Hayes visited the playground with her son, August Harrison, along with grandparents Paul and Jackie Harrison and family friend Lesley Houlahan, who were from Whangārei.

Hayes said she had seen a photo of the playground online and thought "we had to come and check it out".

"It's pretty awesome. It's just a shame there's not an interactive water play area. I'm not faulting it at all though, although there's probably not enough shade."

Hayes believed the overall redevelopment was worth the money spent on it and she planned on returning with her other child in the near future.

From left, Jackie Harrison, Paul Harrison, August Harrison, Lesley Houlahan and Cheryl Hayes. Photo / Andrew Warner

On Friday, Grounded baristas Mere Harvey and Sivahn Lee were churning out flat whites for watchful parents and grandparents.

Harvey said the pop-up coffee shop had been "pretty busy" since the new playground opened, with a "steady" stream of customers.

With temperatures high over the weekend, iced drinks had been a popular order, she said.

Rotorua Lakes Council, which oversaw the lakefront redevelopment project and contributed $20.1m, while the Government contributed $20.9m via the Provincial Growth Fund.

On Friday, the council was asked if it had or would consider a water play area or more shade near the playgrounds, as well as what the next parts of the redevelopment would bring and what impact it believed the project would have on tourism.

A council spokeswoman said the people able to respond were on holiday until next week and could not respond until then.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said she took a series of visitors to the lakefront who "raved" about it.

"One evening after dinner we went and saw every barbecue table in use. It was inspiring."

She said the lakefront was already a "must do" for visitors and the response to it was "even greater" than what she had hoped for.

"There are not many places where the city is [by] a lake. Tourism and the environment can be symbiotic on a lake."

The lakefront redevelopment began in October 2019 and was divided into five stages.

Designed by Isthmus, the development began with the upgrade of the lakefront walkway, boardwalk and terracing. That stage opened in July last year.

The new Rotorua lakefront playground. Photo / Andrew Warner

A council statement in December said a new toilet block is likely to open in late January and in the new year work will begin on a toddler playground where the existing Volcanic Playground is.

Work is continuing on the extension of the western part of the boardwalk, and it is hoped that part of the redevelopment will give investors a chance to place cafes, restaurants or bars near the lakefront.