The site on the Karitane foreshore was given an official opening on Saturday morning before local children and teenagers enthusiastically tried out the new equipment.
Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki chairman Matapura Ellison conducted the mihi and kaumatua Hinerangi Ferrall-Heath led a karakia before blessing the site with the help of iti tamaiti Manawa Koppert-Duggan.
The Waikouaiti Māori Foreshore Trust Board worked with the Dunedin City Council on the design of the playground, situated on Māori land.
“It is a fitness and play area for rangatahi to challenge themselves and take on the challenge of fitness, and just be outside playing.”
Feedback gathered before the redesign included adding a climbing structure, and an adventure course which included pull-up bars, a net climb, vertical climbing rope, balance beam, log jumps, stepping poles, climbing ladder bridges, box jump and parallel bars.
Dunedin city councillor Mandy Mayhem said the upgrade cost $125,000 and was part of the council’s play spaces plan.
The play area was designed to also be used by teenagers, she said.
“It is lovely to see Karitane receiving this beautification, and such an amenity improvement.”
