Te Awamutu’s new skatepark opened in September last year.
Waipā District Council looks set to miss the start of its tentatively scheduled February build date for a skate park in Kihikihi, as discussions continue about where to put it.
And the committee behind the project, Te Paparoa, has a message for the council amid fears the project has stalled – get it rolling.
Community services manager Brad Ward said Te Paparoa had not come to a halt, but factors including the project being reliant on community funding were still at play.
“Before we can look at that completion wise, we need the site. Then, we need to complete planning and design to enable community fundraising.”
Frances Te Ao is a member of the Te Paparoa committee which submitted the plan to council as part of the 2021-2031 in April 2021.
She said watching “impending” completion of a similar skatepark in Pirongia only heightened the urgency the committee was feeling to get Te Paparoa across the line.
Te Ao said it felt as though while Te Awamutu and Cambridge celebrated the completion of their skate parks, Kihikihi “lingered in anticipation”.
Ward said council had investigated possible sites for the Kihikihi skate park including Kihikihi Domain and behind the Kihikihi Town Hall.
“Staff are currently considering other locations and working through site intricacies with project partners and our stakeholders”.
Te Ao told The News committee members were discouraged that three years of collaborative efforts with Waipā District Council and mana whenua had not yielded a “positive outcome” location wise.
“It is disheartening for us as the Te Paparoa committee to witness neighbouring communities enjoying the benefits of these recreational spaces while our own project remains in limbo.
“The time for action is now. The youth of Kihikihi deserve a space where they can thrive, express themselves and contribute to the vibrant future of their community.”
She added the skatepark would have multiple benefits.
“It is not just a skate park. To us, it is a symbol of hope and community.
“We want to ensure Kihikihi’s tamariki and rangatahi have a place they can truly call their own.”
Council said in February Stockade Reserve, in the middle of Kihikihi, was being eyed up for new housing and Te Paparoa. Photo: Supplied
