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Construction of a new youth park featuring a pump track, multi-use sports court and adventure play equipment will begin in Long Bay this month, with the community-designed space expected to open in March 2027.
The Awaruaika youth park, located at 1 Streamview Way, is expected to open next March.
It has a budget of $2,935,000.
Construction will begin with site establishment and although the reserve will be closed while work is underway, the public toilet will remain open.
The park will provide a dedicated place for rangatahi ages 12 and over to get active, catch up with friends and enjoy the outdoors.
Hibiscus and Bays Local Board chair Alexis Poppelbaum said the start of construction would bring ideas developed with the community, including local young people, to life.
“We’re really excited to see this project moving into the construction phase. The community, including local young people, has helped shape the design, and it’s fantastic to see those ideas becoming reality.
“This will give young people a place of their own to be active, spend time with friends and enjoy the outdoors. We can’t wait to see it being used by the community.”
Poppelbaum said feedback has been at the heart of the project from the start, with local people wanting more opportunities for young people to get active, play sport, ride, socialise and spend time outdoors.
Long Bay Residents’ Association chair Gareth Roberts said the community had been waiting for Awaruaika youth park for many years and welcomed the start of construction.
“The engaging public consultation and community feedback have helped shape a facility that will provide young people with a safe, active and welcoming place to spend time locally, and we look forward to seeing it become a much-loved community asset that supports healthy activity, connection and enjoyment for people of all ages, in the heart of Long Bay.”
Those ideas helped shape the final design, with feedback influencing everything from the sports court and pump track to the play features and colour scheme.
The new youth park will feature:
A pump track for bikes and skateboards
A multi-use sports court for basketball, football and pickleball
Adventure play equipment
Seating and social spaces
New pathways, lighting and planting
The project is being delivered in partnership with Ngāti Manuhiri and Te Kawerau ā Maki, who gifted the name park name Awaruaika, the original name of Vaughan Stream
