Play Horse Rocks no More at Brooklands Zoo

An iconic piece of playground equipment at Brooklands Zoo has been removed to comply with New Zealand Safety Standards.

The zoo’s rocking horse has entertained children for nearly 40 years, but an independent playground audit confirmed that it did not comply with the safety standards.

“We had no choice but to remove it if Brooklands Zoo’s playground is to achieve compliance with the standards,” says Manager Parks Programmes Steve McGill.

“The safety standards have seen rocking horses gradually phased out of playgrounds across New Zealand. The horse in the zoo playground was one of a handful remaining across the country.

“There have been a few accidents on this rocking horse over the years including a recent one where a child received facial injuries.”

The rocking horse is being stored in the Council’s Hobson Street depot while a decision is made on what to do with it.

“It’s a piece of the district’s social history – I doubt there are many people who haven’t ridden on it as a kid – so we’re carefully considering the options for its future,” says Mr McGill.