Whanganui’s public playgrounds need a $3 million spruce-up

The playground at Webb Road Reserve on Durie Hill. Photo / Bevan Conley

Investment to the tune of $3 million is needed to bring Whanganui’s playgrounds up to scratch.

The Whanganui District Council is in charge of 16 playgrounds, with an independent audit by Park Central in 2022 revealing a 69 per cent compliance rate.

That was in the mid to low range compared to other cities across the country.

A business case prepared by council senior parks manager Wendy Bainbridge said while the result was cause for concern, several items that were identified as having high health and safety concerns were in the process of being repaired or replaced or had since been dealt with.

“However, there is still a significant investment needed to bring the play spaces up to a reasonable condition and compliance just to maintain what we have, without any consideration to establishing new play spaces in growth areas.

“The (Park Central) report focused on safety compliance but there is also a growing demand for playgrounds to be more accessible for all.

“During the period when most of our playgrounds were established, there was no real consideration given to accessibility.”

That was not the case now, Bainbridge’s case said.

“Where possible, accessibility considerations are being included when new or replacement equipment is being installed.”

Park Central inspected 117 items of equipment and its associated safety surfacing.

Doing nothing over the next council long-term plan (LTP) period - 2024-2034 - wasn’t an option if the council wanted “to maintain the current level of provision”.

“If replacements are not done, then equipment will need to be retired,” the business case said.

“The council has a duty of care to provide safe equipment.”

Sixty-eight per cent of respondents to a council community views survey last year were satisfied with the district’s public playgrounds.

It was 81 per cent in the 2021 survey and 75 per cent in 2022.

Earlier this year, the Chronicle reported that a 10-year upgrade to Kowhai Park could cost $6 million and external funding would be required.

Two sites where co-funding had been successful were Destination Play at New Plymouth’s Kāwaroa Park and the Te Āhuru Mōwai playground in Marton.

Bainbridge’s business case said Kowhai Park was built around 1950 and not to current safety standards but improvements had been made to achieve a measure of compliance.

Her $3 million plan- separate from the Kowhai Park project and to be considered for the next LTP - won’t require financial input from the community but that option “can’t be ruled out”.

Examples of successful partnerships include Lorenzdale Park in Gonville and the fitness park next to the Whanganui River.

At Lorenzdale Park, the community secured funding for new equipment and facilities through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

The council paid for upgrades of existing equipment and replacements of equipment that had reached the end of its useful life.

“A significant spend had been anticipated during the last LTP process (2021-2031), however, increased prices and the results of the audit that was undertaken have doubled the anticipated financial requirement.”

Playgrounds had an estimated life of 25 years and several of Whanganui’s were approaching that and older, the case said.

Only two items in the council’s portfolio are new - the extension of the wet play area at Kowhai Park and a rope bridge for the park’s castle.

If Bainbridge’s case is signed off by the council, $880,000 would be spent on playgrounds in year one of the next LTP (2024/25).

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.