Centennial Park Balclutha

Balclutha’s Centennial Park is quickly turning into a destination play space for locals and the nearby community.

Client:

Centennial Parks Trust

Location:

Balclutha

Circa Budget:

$480,000

Stage 1 of the project is finally complete! Accompanying the bike track, dog park, and surrounding green space, this new playground area is full of fun equipment pieces and colours.

The play space project at Centennial Park is a feat of passion by the community group in Balclutha. They came together wanting to establish a wider park space for everyone to enjoy, and little by little, have been making it a reality.

Creo began working with the community a few years ago, creating a master plan of the space for them to reference when installing equipment and developing the area.

With a range of activities planned for the park, the project was broken down into various stages. The first of which featured a dog park and bike track which the team at Creo planned and the community members installed and put together.

From there, the group began fundraising and gained the support of the local community to create the new playground. Equipment pieces were sourced and funded from various suppliers, and with the help of the Creo team, each element was pieced into the playground design.

By managing the project design and build process, the team at Creo were able to take a load off the community members driving the park development.

The designers worked to tell the story of Balclutha and its surrounding areas through the colour choices, equipment, and surfacing in the playground. The more junior play space created in Stage 1 of the project, is full of fun play elements like the tower slides, swings, balance beams, and trampoline.

The play area extends from the bike track previously installed, creating flow between the areas of the park.

Stage 2 is set to create a more senior play space that includes more challenging play elements for older children and adults to enjoy. An outdoor fitness circuit has also been planned for the next stage and is set to make Centennial Park a hotspot recreational space for years to come.

The final area is an unprescribed playspace. Complete with a mound, slides, and tunnel, the space is perfect for the younger students at the school. Rubber safety surfacing was used to create a soft landing and tie the play space with the colours of the surrounding courts. The surface design also features the school logo, personalising the space and making it uniquely Kaurilands School.

The new playspace is vibrant, fun, and exciting. With endless play opportunities and elements to bring the school community together.

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Clyde River Park Playground

Celebrating history through play.

Client:

Central Otago District Council

Location:

Clyde, Otago

Circa Budget:

$230,000

The new playground at Clyde pays homage to the historical bridge landmark of the community. In 2021 the Central Otago District Council contacted Creo about working on a new play space for its riverside playground.

The historical Clyde Bridge and the Clutha River were used as inspiration for the new space, and Creo’s design team worked to create a custom playground that is truly iconic to the area.

Creo constructed a small replica of the Clyde Bridge to be used as a play equipment piece, with bars for climbing on and a river design underneath that brings a sense of the surrounding environment. By using wet-pour rubber surfacing, the Creo design and build team were able to create a river/water-like design that flows throughout the space and brings a fun and colourful element.

The space also features local materials, like stones and timber pieces that have been reclaimed and brought into the space for a personalised touch. The Creo team were intentional with using materials that complement the Central Otago landscape with elements that add to the Southern, High Country, aesthetic.

A swing set, balance beams, and carousel equipment pieces are focal points in the playground, creating a range of activity opportunities for visitors while playing on the river movement theme, while the concrete track surrounding the new space is perfect for children to ride bikes and navigate around the playground.

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Cummings Park

In 2021 the public playground at Cummings Park underwent an update to bring a fresh, new look to the tired space.

Client:

Cummings Park

Location:

Wellington

Circa Budget:

$430,000

The Wellington City Council approached Creo to work on the project.

The council team recognized the effective layout in the previously existing playground and wanted to replicate the spacing with some new equipment features for the local community to enjoy.

The Creo team focused on including a number of accessible elements into the new play space, along with sensory elements for added play opportunities.

The space was previously focused on providing play options for a junior age group due to the fact that a local kindergarten borders the playground and often utilises the space.

With this in mind, Creo kept the play space fairly junior-orientated while also incorporating a few pieces that older children can enjoy, like the larger rope net and swings.

The use of seamless surfacing makes the space and equipment both accessible for users of all abilities and provides flow within the space.

There are a number of features in the playground and the surrounding environment that the Creo design team took into account, such as the stream running right by the play space and the main walkway also running alongside the site.

These fixed elements were used in the story of the space that connects to the wider play area around the playground.

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Shorland Park

Boats are great for thematic playground design. It reflect the local heritage.

Shorland Park has been a local favourite playground for many years.

Client:

Shorland Park

Location:

Wellington

Circa Budget:

$510,000

There was a big community response when the Wellington City Council announced plans for an update.

A number of elements in the existing playground were loved by the community.

So, when Creo was designing for the space, they took into account the pieces that could be put back into the playground.

The original slide was retained, with a new tower structure placed underneath, giving the slide feature a new life.

The existing snail structure feature was also refurbished and re-installed.

Along with the original equipment pieces, new play features were added.

Fresh new swings were added back into the space along with a flying fox, both adding new elements to the playground.

Due to the playground’s location by the waterfront, the playground features a subtle beach theme.

This story is told through the colour choices in the design, including light blues, nautical elements on the surface, and natural lush turf.

The space also includes boat-like structures for both junior and older kids, reminiscent of an iconic boat that used to attract visitors nearby the playground.

This new play space is a celebration of both old and new elements, creating an exciting new space for Wellington locals.

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Marina Drive Playground

Marina Park Playground is a small community playground space for the residents around Marina Drive, Queenstown.

Client:

Queenstown Lakes District Council

Location:

Queenstown

Circa Budget:

$140,000

The playground had become dated over time and there weren’t many elements in the space that were drawing the community members in.

The bark surfacing and the toddler-aged equipment pieces limited who could fully interact with the playground space, and the set-up of the playground perimeter disconnected the play area from its surroundings.

Creo collaborated with the Queenstown Lakes District Council, to update the existing space and help create a more inviting and welcoming playground for the local residents.

With a strict budget in place, the Creo team were able to utilise the existing footprint of the playground to extend the usability of the park and provide access for all users into the space.

The new space now features seating around the perimeter, new playground equipment, and a fresh pathway into the playground area.

Landscaping was utilised, adding plantings around the playground to help create a more cosy and sheltered feeling while also adding nature play opportunities for users.

The new Creo design incorporates wet pour rubber surfacing to create even paths through the bark chip that connect different areas of the playground together, making for easy accessibility around the space.

The usability of the playground has also been extended, with the addition of a range of age-appropriate equipment.

The playground now includes an updated and more inviting toddler unit, along with new swings, and a basket swing further back to accommodate older children.

The updated playground has lifted the space and created a more welcoming and inclusive play environment for the young residents in the community.

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Frankton Playground

Playground equipment can be reused to save costs.

With a beautiful waterfront view of Lake Wakatipu, Frankton Playground is the perfect little community playground.

Client:

Queenstown Lakes District Council

Location:

Frankton

Circa Budget:

$170,000

After a lot of love and use throughout the years, it was in need of an upgrade.

The existing equipment was tired and non-accessible and the play opportunities available were not inclusive of older kids.

Creo worked with the district council to create a space that was more inclusive, accessible, and colourful.

A design was laid out to bring life into the space and make it stand out along the waterfront pathway. The team worked within a tight time frame and budget to provide a space that ticked all the boxes.

By adding a lip to the edge of the space and using rubber surfacing options, the team was able to create an even surface that is low-maintenance, hard-wearing, and easy to move across.

Removing the obstacle of entering the space has made the playground more accessible to visitors and those with limited mobility.

Steppers and mounds create unprescribed play opportunities that attract users of all ages opening the space up to no longer be limited to little kids.

The result is a new space that is colourful, bright, and welcoming.

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Tahi Beachwood

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Tahi Beachwood playground incorporates colour and natural elements to create a dynamic play space that merges with its environment.

Client:

Auckland City Council

Location:

Auckland

Circa Budget:

$250,000

Tahi Beachwood playground is a new playspace development in the suburb of Hatfield’s Beach in Auckland.

The intention behind this playground was to create a community play area that was safe, fun, and reflected the immediate environment.

The pre-existing playground was exposed to the elements, with no shade areas, and prone to wet conditions during winter, making it unappealing and messy.

The council wanted design and play elements that encouraged creative play and incorporated many natural elements.

Creo worked with the Auckland City Council to design a playground that would be easy to maintain, within their budget, and was able to be delivered in mid-2020.

The playground design included a range of play equipment items, shade, pathways, planting, and surfacing.

Working within budget, Creo introduced a mix of surfaces that kept costs down while maintaining safety standards.

Loose-fill surfacing was paired with a more durable rubber surface to ensure the playspace is accessible and easy care.

To keep with the natural aesthetic of the environment, Creo incorporated lots of greens, blues and neutral toned colours.

Wooden elements were brought in with steppers and chip surfacing creating a natural base for the bright balance balls and rubber surfacing to stand out.

A seating area was incorporated along the rim of the playground, creating a space for people to rest and gather, making this playground a neighborhood attraction.

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Rotary Park

In 2021, Rotary Park Playground in Wanaka received a major upgrade which has since proven a success with the local community.

Client:

Queenstown Lakes District Council

Location:

Wanaka

Circa Budget:

$380,000

This community playground has always been well utilized by both visitors and locals, especially during summer and school holidays. But the previous area was cold in winter and had very limited variety in terms of play value.

The council had a vision to create a space that was designed to be inclusive, accessible, and extended into the wider area.

They wanted to use landscaping to create a buffer that excluded vehicles from the play areas, ensuring children’s safety, and bring in a range of equipment that integrated well into the aesthetics of the area making this a destination playground for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy.

Creo worked closely with the Queenstown Lakes District Council to deliver the project on time and to specification.

This was critically important to the Council who were looking for a credible and capable partner to run the project without time delays.

The design of the playground incorporates natural colours – greens, blues, and yellows – in keeping with the local colour palette.

Mounds and rubber rocks provide topography play elements unique to the existing playground which also echo the surrounding mountain landscape to tell the story and reflect the character of the local area.

Elements of sensory play and balance challenges add to the play value of the new playground allowing users of all ages to get creative.

The pre-existing playground structure was refurbished and added back into the new design, blending seamlessly into the new space. Because of this Creo were not only able to add more play value, but it also allowed for more resources to be spent elsewhere.

The play area now boasts a vibrant look that integrates into the beautiful landscape, making this truly a playground to check out.

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Karori Park

Karori Park really embodies the power of community collaboration.

Client:

Wellington City Council

Location:

Karori, Wellington

Circa Budget:

$500,000

In 2020, Creo was called to breathe some new life into Karori Park Playground in Wellington.

The playground was worn down, tired, and small, but it was still a focal community playground that was vibrant and well loved.

It was in need of some fresh thinking and an update to create a more inclusive, and accessible play area.

The goal for this playground was to get as much play area as possible in a rather small and tricky space.

The park needed to be hard wearing, maintenance free, and able to endure the Wellington weather.

The old space had many access points that cut through the space in a disruptive way, and for Creo, the objective was to make the playground a quieter space that you couldn’t just run through, but instead flowed together cohesively.

The playground boasts a vibrant community feel, with its new equipment, surrounding seating area, and a colour palette that plays off the brick walls and the Wellington yellows.

The new playspace incorporates a lot of new and old features such as the adored Flying Fox and the cute library box that was already present in the park. One popular element that is new is the accessible carousel and swing. These two new features allow for the playground to be used by community members and visitors who previously were not able to enjoy the playground’s equipment. The new playspace also caters for toddlers as well as older kids, with a junior version of the new tower structure set up for the smaller kids, along with flat surfacing going in and out of play areas allowing access for all children.

Karori Park really came together through the collaborative efforts of the community, by collecting feedback in the early stages of concept design, right through to the final stages. Input from the community was a crucial element of this project and because of those efforts, Creo was able to deliver an inclusive playground that has both maximised the play and age range in the compact site.

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Cornwall Park Playground

Thoughtful playground design in 2023 allow for many ways of play.

Creo was engaged by the Hastings District Council to design the Cornwall Park Playground in late 2018.

Client:

Hastings City Council

Location:

Hastings

Circa Budget:

$1,800,000

Twelve months later, the park was opened to an eagerly awaiting community who were delighted with the new playspace.

The ideas and the concept for the playground came from the main structure piece which was selected by the council; the Acorn Climbing Village.

This provided Creo with the theme of acorns, autumn leaves, and meandering streams – all of which are features of the surrounding environment.

There was an existing waterplay area within the park which Creo resurfaced and tied into the play space by linking it to a blue river-themed accessway.

This made the connection with the water ways in the surrounding park.

To bring the idea of Autumn leaves into the space, Creo designed large leaf patterns into the play surface, giving the effect of leaves dropping into a stream. There are 55 leaves in the play space in total and children are encouraged to try and spot them all.

At time of construction, the Acorn Climbing Tower structure selected by the Council was the first of its type in Australasia.

Being a large piece in a small play space, it provides a sense of scale.

Using this to best advantage, Creo tucked play equipment all around the structure, providing different play experiences for children to discover as they move through the play space.

This keeps the excitement and sense of adventure going for longer.

When selecting the equipment for the play space, Creo chose items that not only covered a wide range of ages, but also a range of abilities. Equipment such as inground mini-trampolines, ramped play structures with sensory panels, and large open basket swings, all provide accessible play options.

There was also a sustainable element with the safety surfacing. Over 6000 tyres were recycled to create the surface layer underneath that you don’t see but get the bounce from.

Many thanks to the following people who worked on this project:

Playco (play equipment)
Tina Dyer (playground compliance)
Numat (surfacing)
Downer (civil works)
Creations Paving & Contracting Limited
Evergreen Landscapes
Citrus Studio Architecture and Tims Construction Ltd. (toilet block)
Hawke’s Bay Trim and Canvas (shade sails)
FEL Group Ltd. (furniture)

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Centennial Park Balclutha

Client:

Centennial Parks Trust

Location:

Balclutha

Circa Budget:

$480,000

The new playspace is vibrant, fun, and exciting. With endless play opportunities and elements to bring the school community together.

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Clyde River Park Playground

Client:

Central Otago District Council

Location:

Clyde, Otago

Circa Budget:

$230,000

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Cummings Park

Client:

Cummings Park

Location:

Wellington

Circa Budget:

$430,000

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Shorland Park

Client:

Shorland Park

Location:

Wellington

Circa Budget:

$510,000

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Marina Drive Playground

Marina Park Playground is a small community playground space for the residents around Marina Drive, Queenstown.

Client:

Queenstown Lakes District Council

Location:

Queenstown

Circa Budget:

$140,000

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Frankton Playground

With a beautiful waterfront view of Lake Wakatipu, Frankton Playground is the perfect little community playground.

Client:

Queenstown Lakes District Council

Location:

Frankton

Circa Budget:

$170,000

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Tahi Beachwood

Tahi Beachwood playground incorporates colour and natural elements to create a dynamic play space that merges with its environment.

Client:

Auckland City Council

Location:

Auckland

Circa Budget:

$250,000

The council wanted design and play elements that encouraged creative play and incorporated many natural elements.

Working within budget, Creo introduced a mix of surfaces that kept costs down while maintaining safety standards.

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We're here to help

Rotary Park

Client:

Queenstown Lakes District Council

Location: