Rocket park revamp blasts off
Much loved features will be blasting off the face of Victoria Park.
But Victoria Park playground — otherwise known as Rocket Park — will return as a modern, improved playground when the much loved park undergoes a massive facelift, and work has already started on its upgrade.
The pirate ship will soon sail away, and the skate bowl has been demolished.
Hauraki District Council (HDC) parks and reserves manager Paul Matthews says Victoria Park is our most used playground as it caters to the widest age group.
“I believe this town is lucky to have a modern skate park and new basketball courts to cater for our teens at Morgan Park and a safely fenced playground at Gilmour Lake which is perfect for our 3-8 year olds.
“Now we have the opportunity to create something equally unique and special at Victoria Park. This park will have something to appeal to everyone, from under 3 year olds to those over 100.”
A park upgrade has been in the planning stage for the last 3-4 years and a community day was held last year for people to share their ideas with HDC and Waihi Lions Club. For the chop was the skatebowl which was built as a Lion’s club project in 1972. The cost to resurface the ageing skate bowl was prohibitive — and council had built the modern skatepark at Morgan Park. The pirate ship will also go as it does not meet today’s safety standards.
Stage one of the project will include a dual flying fox in its place, a new pirate ship and artwork/mural. HDC has partnered with the Waihi Lions to replace their pirate ship and skate bowl with things equally unique and meaningful to the community.
Paul says with the contribution from the Lions club, council can now afford to do more than originally planned at no extra cost to ratepayers. “The council is very grateful to the club.”
Funds are still being raised for this stage of the project — funds raised have come from Waihi Lions Club $15,000, Trust Waikato $17,000 and HDC $45,000. The estimated investment overall for stage one is $130,000 and it is hoped work will get underway over summer. Ideas are being developed for stage two which may include a basket swing, scooter track, extra swings and upgraded modular play equipment.