Playtime draws hundreds

20 Feb 2025 • By Mary Anne Gill

They call them destination playgrounds for a reason, people want to go there.

Kairi Smith, 3, has plans to be a doctor one day but was trying out the police uniforms first, with Youth Aid officer Constable Dani Hibdige. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

These premium places cater for the wider community not just children in the immediate neighbourhood offering more than just physical activity and play.

They are meeting places for all generations with special environmental significance.

The new $3.7 million Papatakohe Park Destination Playground in the Bridleways Estate, west of Cambridge, fits the bill perfectly.

Hundreds of families and children who attended the opening on Saturday can attest to its appeal.

The playground, on a section about 9000 square metres in size, was built using money from developers 3Ms and $2.7 million of developer contributions made to Waipā District Council.

Equipment includes a climbing tower which dominates the skyline over an in-ground trampoline, a flying fox, an accessible carousel, swings, sandpits, a basketball court, workout equipment and water play.

The playground – created by Lynley and Kent Fife of Cambridge landscape architects Line and Design –and built by Fluhler Contracting of Hamilton, has three distinct areas for pre-schoolers, young and older children.

Myles Paduch, 15 months, tries out the new equipment at Papatakohe Park Destination Playground. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Dominique and Myles Paduch. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Enjoying the littler area was Myles Paduch, 15 months, with mother Dominique (nee Cornille) who are recent new arrivals in Cambridge from Mount Maunganui.

Dominique – originally from Te Awamutu and an old girl of St Patrick’s Catholic there and Sacred Heart Girls’ College in Hamilton – and husband Simon recently acquired the G.J. Gardner franchise and were keen to check out the destination playground for Myles and their two older school-aged children.

Staff from Camex Civil were kept busy distributing 1000 free cooked sausages. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Lines formed for the free sausage sizzle provided by Camex Civil while children keenly participated in a scavenger hunt.

Fluhler Contracting, McCaffrey and Cable Consultants and C & R Developments all contributed to the opening ceremony’s cost.

Cambridge Community Board was involved in the discussions at Leamington Domain for a revamped domain. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

A second destination playground in Leamington featuring water, sand and nature-theme areas is expected to be completed by May.

Council collaborated with mana whenua to incorporate cultural values and stories into the design, focusing on the area’s horticultural history and connections to the river.

The steam roller will stay in the park but be moved to a different spot.

Waipā Community Services manager Brad Ward said many of the district’s playgrounds had undergone upgrades in recent years.

Neighbourhood playgrounds were just as important as destination ones, he told The News.

The council recently ran its third annual playground data project collecting information at eight playground sites – four in Cambridge, three in Te Awamutu and one in Kihikihi – to decide how to upgrade and develop play spaces.

The survey asked users what they thought of upgraded playgrounds and assessed what equipment was popular or not. Older playgrounds nearing upgrades were also assessed by capturing numbers at them and ages of children using them.