Taupō's new playground to be based on the legendary battle of the mountains

Taupō District Council playground project sponsor Dylan Tahau outlines the new playground's features to Taupo Primary School room 18 students. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Taupō's best-known and most-used playground is on the way out.

In its place will be a $1.2 million destination playground with a variety of features for all ages and which references the famous Ngāti Tūwharetoa legend of the battle of the mountains.

The Tongariro South Domain playground will close from tomorrow for a four-month revamp and is expected to reopen at Labour Weekend.

Next to the town's Super Loo and handy to the town centre and cafes, the playground is a popular stop for visitors and is also well used by local families.

It was given a facelift about 10 years ago but the Taupō District Council says some elements in the playground were outdated and unsafe. It wanted to create a new playground that would act as a destination for visitors and be fun, safe and accessible for all users.

Most of the funding is coming from the council, but the 100% Lake Taupō Charitable Trust, which is winding up, is contributing its remaining bank balance of $100,000 and Towncentre Taupō and Contact Energy are each chipping in $10,000.

A plan showing the design of the new Tongariro South Domain playground, which begins construction tomorrow. Image / Supplied

Ngāti Tūwharetoa artist Kingi Pitiroi and Bespoke Landscape Architects designed the concept for the playground, which will use colour and surface treatments to represent the mountains and a water feature representing the Whanganui River.

Pitiroi says his design brings cultural context into the playground and the use of colour makes it exciting, inviting and interactive.

"For me, thinking about the battle of the mountains, it's something that kids can connect to and something that will entrance and excite them so it's very fitting to use that narrative as part of the playground.

"In terms of the design, we use [a lot] of very vibrant colours. We've got a lot of reds and yellows and oranges to represent Tongariro as the victor and to tell the story of his mana and integrity, and Pihanga in green. The way we've faced Pihanga is she's actually facing towards Tauhara and we've included Putauaki and Taranaki because of the great loss that they experienced and the waterfall of Taranaki's tears, which is the Whanganui."

Taupō Primary School students enjoy a last play on the rope climbing pyramid at Tongariro South Domain before the playground closes tomorrow for a major revamp. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Taupō District Council project sponsor Dylan Tahau said the designers had taken on comments during the consultation, specifically the need for a local story and to incorporate adult-child play so that parents could get involved with their children, not just watch. There would be a fenced-off play area for toddlers, and planting to create a barrier between the playground and the roads. The playground will also be moved further back from Tongariro St and some of the items from the existing playground, including the rope climbing pyramid, will be repurposed.

"The other feature is that we have water play, so the Whanganui River connecting from the Central North Island to Mt Taranaki will be our water play area and the mountains are depicted by the designs that Kingi has put on the surface treatment," Mr Tahau said.

"The community wanted fencing, water play and also recognising traditional play elements - it's not always the big flash stuff so there are hills to roll down, rocks to climb over, trees to play around and shade being retained."

The Rev Peace Mitchell performs a blessing to allow the work on the new playground to begin. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Landscape artist Lee Brazier, from Bespoke Landscape Architects, says the brief was to create a destination with a Taupō-specific theme that served the local community as well as being an attraction for visitors.

The community wanted different types of play, ability to access the playground, shade and shelter and play across all age groups.

"This is a transformational project. It has very much a local meaning and is a game-changer from a local community perspective, but it's also such a high-profile national project."

100% Lake Taupō Charitable Trust chairman David Steele said the trust wanted to make a statement by donating the remainder of its money to the new playground.

"Up until now we've given out lots of little grants to lots of organisations, which we love doing, helping youth and projects in Taupo over the years, but we felt that the trust had run its course in Taupo. We had $100,000 left over and we wanted to do something with it that would be good for Taupo."

The trust's money came from Zero Risk King of the Ring charity boxing events and Mr Steele said it was great for the trust to have a legacy project like the playground to wind up on.

The redevelopment was kicked off last Thursday with Reverend Peace Mitchell blessing the site and a waiata from Taupō Primary School children.