Community motivation results in new playground

The efforts of a group of Melville mothers to have a new children’s play facility built in their neighbourhood culminates on Friday with the official opening of the Pine Avenue playground.

The idea for a new playground in the Bader neighbourhood reaches back to 2009, and stemmed from regular Friday morning meetings by mothers in the area. Many of the women were without transport, and saw the need for a new neighbourhood playground within walking distance. They gathered the support of their community and agencies including Child Youth and Family, Work and Income, Housing New Zealand, Police, Glenview Community Centre, Te Whare Kokonga to seek Council backing for the new playground.

Forty-nine submissions asking for a new neighbourhood playground were made to the 2010-2011 Annual Plan, leading Council to work with the group to identify the right site, and this week’s official opening by Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker.

Council’s Neighbourhood Development Team Leader Andy Mannering said: “This is a great example of how a community can gather support for a valuable neighbourhood project, and use Council’s democratic processes to make it happen. And now they have a great new playground for the children to enjoy.”