Bringing joy and adventure through play

Feedback from our communities has been instrumental in our recent playground upgrades.  

After a busy year of consultation and engagement, we've been hard at work refreshing and upgrading a bunch of play areas round the city. 

Two of our most recently renewed play areas are Kekerenga Street Play Area in Strathmore Park, and the Khandallah Library Play Area. 

The Kekerenga Street upgrade includes stepping logs, longer monkey bars, new swings, climbing tower with fireman’s pole and slide, and a toddlers’ pirate tower and slide. 

For the Khandallah Library play area we’ve included a balance challenge circuit, transitioning between stepping logs and beams, and an elephant slide, fund raised by the local Khandallah Business Group (BID). 

Recently completed:   
Khandallah Library Play Area  
Kekerenga Street Play Area 
Karori Park Play Area   
Carrara Park Play Area  
Aro Valley Play Area  
Coronation Park Play Area  
Montgomery Park Play Area   
Southgate Play Area   
Victory Crescent Play Area   

Works underway:   
Newlands Park   
Wall Park 

Awaiting construction: 
Elizabeth Street Play Area 
Nuku Street Play Area 
Pembroke Road Play Area 

During the consultation process for these playground upgrades, we held several drop-in sessions and created feedback surveys where you shared your thoughts and ideas – and we listened.  

We know that each Wellington community is unique and your feedback is super important, because it helps us come up with an awesome design that best serves the needs of the people who are going to use it most – the locals. 

The Kekerenga Street upgrade includes stepping logs, longer monkey bars, and new swings.

We’ve even got local school children involved in a collaboration project to upgrade Wall Park in Linden. This special project is the result of collaboration between Tawa Education Technology Trust and Tawa and Linden schools, with the intent of giving local children the opportunity to learn about urban design and place making.  

This has been an enjoyable and hugely valuable process for all involved, including our urban designers who emphasise how “refreshing it is to hear a child’s perspective” on the work they do. 

For the play areas awaiting construction works, we’ve since collated your feedback and used it to help select and buy the equipment. Some of the play equipment comes in pieces all the way from Europe, so timeframes for delivery can take a while – but it’s worth the wait. 

Did you know? 

Wellington playgrounds are broken down into three different categories which helps us to prioritise, allocate budget and make decisions when it comes to upgrades.  

Neighbourhood play areas  

These are small play areas which service a group of locals within a 600-metre walking distance.  

Examples: Montgomery Avenue Play Area, Aro Valley Play Area.  

Community play areas  

These are larger-scale play areas which service a community, usually within an approximate 800  metre walking distance.  

Examples: Karori Park Play Area, Te Papa Tākaro o Jim Belich. 

Destination playgrounds  

As the name would suggest, these are the super cool destination play areas. Not only are they larger in scale, they often feature bespoke equipment and an adventure theme of sorts, designed to keep kids busy for a good couple of hours. They are located in areas that are central and easy to access for all.  

Example: Frank Kitts Playground.