Major upgrade for Parakai Reserve
By Guy Wishart, Rodney Local Board and Kumeu Community Action (KHRRA)
Exciting things are happening at Parakai that will no doubt interest lots of people in the Northwest.
When I think of Parakai I think of the hot pools, the road to South Head and a good place to stock up on food and drinks before heading up the peninsula.
Many locals travel regularly to the thermal pools and it is now the only geothermally heated pool facility in the Auckland area, with Waiwera having closed down permanently.
A lot has been happening at Parakai over the last few years.
Kaipātiki is the new name for the Parakai Recreation Reserve and it is governed by Te Poari o Kaipātiki ki Kaipara. They have been working hard to upgrade the park area around the pools, including a new playground area, camping area upgrades, new tiny homes for overnight stays and a huge number of new plants have been added.
The planning for this work started more than five years ago with the physical work starting last year.
As you all know last year was, as Queen Elizabeth II was known to say, annus horribilis - a horrible year in many ways, especially in terms of high rainfall levels.
The soil at the reserve is only a metre in depth, with watery coastal slush below. The huge amount of rain last year made the going slow and arduous.
In spite of this the first stage of the revitalisation of the Kaipatiki Reserve is due to open in a few weeks - on Saturday July 13.
A dawn ceremony starts the day and local children and their families will be able to experience the newly installed play area, cabins and redesigned reserve in its entirety for the first time.
It will be a great day and the first milestone in a project that has only just begun.
After new plans have been finalised, the remaining parts of the reserve are going to be remodelled and replanted all the way to the Kaipara River.
New bridges and walkways, lookouts and sculptures will be added to the nature trail. This huge upgrade to the reserve will no doubt make Parakai even more attractive as a destination for day trips and overnight stays with its upgraded campground and cabins.
It is hoped that the pools will be upgraded in this process as well, and many would think this a missed opportunity if they were not done.
Just how this might happen will need to be decided in the next few years as the current lease is up for renewal.
The pools are looking a bit tired and elements of it need major renewal. No doubt Te Poari o Kaipātiki ki Kaipara will be doing eveything in its power to give the reserve the new lease on life it so richly deserves.