26 February 2019

Ground condition work starting at Frank Kitts Park playground

Work is starting on the first stage of the new playground for Frank Kitts Park on Wellington’s waterfront.

This Friday 1 March excavations will be carried out at the existing playground to confirm ground conditions. This will help finalise the design for the new playground.

Wellington’s Deputy Mayor, Jill Day, who holds the City Council’s Children and Young People portfolio, is delighted initial work is starting.

“It’s been a long wait, but we’re excited to be starting the work that will lead to a destination playground on our waterfront,” she says.

“This initial step is important, because it will confirm for us that our vision for the area is possible.”

Project Manager Russell Allen says the work will be completed by a digger and truck and is expected to take all day from 7am till 5pm.

“Portions of the playground will be closed while the work is underway, but it will be staged and work areas will be securely separated from public spaces, including allowance for safety zones and monitoring work areas at all times.

Resource consent for the playground was granted last year.

The playground has a coastal theme which includes a stylised prow of a ship with ropes, masts, ships’ wheels and talk tubes. That will flow into the sea area with a fishing-net climbing frame and then to a beach area that includes the refurbishment and relocation of the existing lighthouse and its slides. It will also have a double flying fox.

The Council has set aside $2.1m of funding for the project in year two of the Long-term Plan.

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