Explore the plans for your new favourite places

Imagine if Pukehina’s Midway Park had a new barbecue area and pump track, or Spencer Avenue Reserve in Maketu was transformed into a place to play rugby and tennis, or if the new dog park in Te Puke had water bowls and fenced areas for four-legged exercising.

That’s just a taste of what we’re proposing for reserves in the Te Puke-Maketu area.

Open online for your feedback from today, Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s draft Reserve Management Plan includes proposals for the three reserves Midway Park, Pukehina; Spencer Avenue Reserve, Maketu; and a new, dedicated dog exercise area at Lawrence Oliver Park, Te Puke. The draft plans can be viewed at haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/rmp

Katy McGinity, Council’s Senior Recreation Planner says, “We’re committed to creating and providing great spaces for everyone in the community. We know these spaces help connect us to one another and it’s important they’re done right.”

Katy says the three draft plans follow the community sharing their thoughts on recreation and open spaces around the Te Puke-Maketu Ward, coming up with some fantastic suggestions.

“We’ve used those ideas to form our new, draft Te Puke-Maketu Reserve Management Plan. This plan will last for the next 10 years, so we’re asking the community to explore what we’re proposing and let us know if we’re on the right track.”

Also proposed are new policies for shade, accessibility and play equipment at recreation and open spaces across the District.

“The community told us loud and clear in the early stages of the project that playgrounds in the area don’t have enough shade and that they need to be more accessible to everyone. We’ve taken that on board, and we’re proposing a new policy that means Council will consider shade and accessibility each time we update or plan to install new play equipment – and we’re suggesting this policy applies across the District,” says Katy.

There are several ways for the community to share their feedback on the draft plans and policies.

Wānanga ipurangi – head over to our dedicated online hub where you can view and comment on draft plans. You can post your comments directly onto the draft plans, take part in short surveys and read our proposed policies. Find it all at haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/rmp

Kanohi ki te kanohi - give us your feedback in-person at one of our events. We’ll be setting up a temporary dog exercise area at Lawrence Oliver Park to help dog owners visualise the space (Saturday, 26 March), hosting a community drop-in session at Midway Park in Pukehina (Saturday, 2 April). To see a full list of events and how you can provide feedback in-person, visit haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/rmp

Pepa mārō – hard copy feedback forms are available at all of Council’s Libraries and service centres. You can also email your comments to haveyoursay@westernbay.govt.nz

The Te Puke-Maketu Reserve Management Plan is Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s guidebook for managing recreation and open spaces in the Te Puke-Maketu area. It sets out how Council has agreed to develop and manage these spaces over the next 10 years.

For everything you need to know about the draft Te Puke-Maketu Reserve Management Plan visit haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/rmp

Feedback closes at midday on 26 April.