PLAYSPACE WHAKATŪ
Tākarokaro Mai Whakatū!
A new play destination is taking shape along the Mahitahi river - and it's unlike anything the region has seen before!
Construction Is Underway
Work began onsite in January 2026, led by local firm Kūmānu, who have been involved in the project from the outset as part of a progressive design and build process that ensured buildability, value-for-money, and design aspirations were balanced throughout the process.
Construction is progressing well, and the project is currently on track to be delivered by December 2026, ready to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike next summer. The tentacle forms of Te Wheke are already emerging from the ground onsite, and the visible progress is creating a real buzz amongst those passing through Rutherford Park, as our talented and passionate team brings the bespoke, ambitious, and site-specific design to life.
Many of the features are being constructed by hand onsite, alongside off- the-shelf and custom-fabricated equipment. Many of the playspace features, including the large-scale accessible rubber surfacing, mahitoi cultural design elements, and big ticket features such as the high ropes climbing tower, are all never-before-seen play features for our city.
Right in the Heart of the City
Rutherford Park is already one of Nelson's best-loved open spaces – and the site of Playspace Whakatū sits at its centre, alongside the Mahitahi River, within a precinct that includes Trafalgar Park, the Trafalgar Centre, Old Lumpy Skatepark, and a growing cluster of recreational and event facilities. It connects directly to the upgraded marina promenade, placing it within a city-to-sea corridor linking Nelson's centre to its waterfront.
Getting there is easy, however you travel:
Walk, ride, scooter, or skate right up to the playspace, travelling along the stunning riverside precinct with flat, wide, accessible, and highly connected shared pathways.
The shared pathways link us to the city, marina and waterfront area, as part of the popular Great Taste Trail and the city’s growing active transport network connections.
The newly upgraded bus hub at Millers Acre is a short walk along that same pathway, making the playspace reachable from right across the region on the eBus network.
For those arriving by car, there is ample free parking nearby, with a new car park right across from the site on Paru Paru Road, and mobility parks right in front of the site.
The location also connects directly to the upgraded marina promenade, placing the playspace within a broader city-to-sea corridor that links Whakatū Nelson's centre to its waterfront. Ongoing upgrades to the marina, waterfront and riverside precinct are expected to contribute to an even more lively and vibrant destination right in the heart of Whakatū Nelson City.
There are facilities along the riverside promenade that can accommodate several food and coffee carts to provide access to food and beverage choices within walking distance of the playspace, in addition to the cafes already located along the river and within the port area.
The Story Behind the Design
From the outset, the eight iwi of Te Tauihu have driven the design of the playspace, which has been developed through the lens of the well-recognised and significant cultural narrative of Kupe and Te Wheke a Muturangi, the great octopus of the powerful tohunga Muturangi.
This kōrero tuku iho is a hugely important and relevant story for the eight iwi of Te Tauihu and indeed, for Māori communities right across the motu. It gives us an understanding of our origin stories and places us within a Polynesian story of migration and navigation, captured through the story of the epic pursuit of Kupe to conquer the great wheke of Muturangi!
This is a story of discovery, exploration, resourcefulness, strategy, resilience, and adaptation. It is deeply connected to this place and our people. The story has guided the development of an imagination-rich and bespoke play landscape that serves as a cultural expression and placemaking platform for Whakatū and the wider Te Tauihu region.
It is thanks to the generosity of Ngā Iwi o Te Tauihu that this story and associated cultural design opportunities have been fully realised through the design of this playspace, ensuring that it is an unmistakably Whakatū destination that our communities can call their own.
A Whole of Landscape Play Destination
The design, developed by landscape architects Isthmus, iwi practitioners, and specialists, brings this pūrākau to life in the landscape itself. The entire site is conceived in the form of te wheke - not as decoration, but as a rich, narrative-driven and site-specific play landscape.
Sculptural tentacles emerge from the surface and sweep across the ground, rising and curving to give the space a sense of movement and dynamism. Tamariki can climb, slide down, and move through them - tracing the body of Te Wheke as they play. Timber rounds stacked into the walls evoke the suckers on the underside, with colour and pattern woven throughout.
A bespoke, large-scale pūhoro design sweeps across the surfaces of the space, linking movement through the site with the movement of water and surrounding Te Wheke with the moana, celebrating our coastal identity and origin stories. The narrative is reflected in every aspect of the playspace design, from small decorative details through to large sculptural forms that mimic the wheke in a way that offers a recognisable and iconic visual for the city.
Led by Iwi, Backed by Council, and Built for the Whole Community
Playspace Whakatū is being delivered in close partnership with iwi and Nelson City Council as part of the iwi-backed initiative, Kōpū, which emerged from the city’s arts and creativity strategy He Tātai Whetū. The strategy was adopted unanimously by Nelson City Council in 2022 and, for the first time, was formally endorsed by the eight iwi of Te Tauihu.
The Kōpū initiative is supporting the revitalisation of the city through placemaking and cultural design in our civic spaces, creating a more distinct, modern, and inclusive built environment for the whole city that attracts more locals and visitors to the city centre.
The project has been a long-awaited and eagerly anticipated project for the city, first identified as far back as 2008 and reinforced through subsequent work such as Te Ara o Whakatū (the city centre spatial plan). The project has attracted central government support via the government’s Better Off funding scheme, providing $2.4M funding towards the project, supplemented by a $613k contribution from Nelson City Council’s Long Term Plan.
Before any plans were drawn, extensive community engagement shaped the vision and design guidance for the project, including:
Over 500 people from across the community shared their views via submissions.
Over 200 tamariki from local schools who participated in facilitated workshops.
Dozens of local organisations and accessibility groups provided design guidance.
Engagement and co-design with the eight iwi of Te Tauihu and hāpori Māori.
The thousands who watched or interacted with our targeted social media campaign.
Over 1,000 people participated in an interactive exhibition at the Refinery Artspace.
Hundreds more engaged in the pop-up exhibition at the Elma Turner Library.
Workshops with the Playspace Taskforce, Chaired by Councillor James Hodgson.
The Vision Taking Shape
Playspace Whakatū is being built as a true destination - somewhere people of all ages can gather and spend quality time together, creating memorable experiences and adding vibrancy to the city centre. Here’s a taste of what you can expect once the playspace is complete:
A safe, fully fenced core space designed for confident, enclosed play
Integrated shade, tables, seating, and toilets for longer, comfortable visits
Large-scale accessible wet-pour rubber surfacing in the main areas
A double-hulled waka, sucker seats, and sculptural hue for imaginative play.
A range of fully accessible and popular play equipment throughout the space.
A big pendulum swing and a four-bay swing set with an accessible harness swing.
Play features emerging from the tentacles, including a 2M wide embankment slide.
A play landscape, formed by Te Wheke, with unique features included throughout.
Māra hūpara inspired fitness, natural and adventure play areas for all ages.
An integrated high ropes climbing tower and spiral slide to get the best views up high.
The whole space is designed as intergenerational, providing a safe and inclusive space for the whole whānau, whilst providing the big, bold, bespoke play features that make it an unmissable destination for tamariki that can become synonymous with Whakatū Nelson City.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Splash pads and water play were among the most requested features during community engagement. Unfortunately, the site was not deemed suitable for this, due to its status as a HAIL site, sitting on reclaimed estuary land, and built on top of both existing and historic underground services that could not accommodate such a feature.
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Playspace Whakatū is on track to open in December 2026, ready for next summer. Construction began in late January 2026 and is progressing well.
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Within Rutherford Park, situated between Paru Paru Road and the Mahitahi River. The site is right next to Old Lumpy Skatepark, near the Trafalgar Centre and across the footbridge from Trafalgar Park.
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Walk, skate, scoot, cycle or skip along the Mahitahi riverside pathway - the playspace sits on the Great Taste Trail and Nelson's wider active transport network. The Millers Acre bus hub is a short walk along that same path, so it's easily accessible on the eBus network too. If you're driving, there's plenty of free parking nearby, including the recently upgraded Paru Paru Road carpark right across the road.
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Yes. The playspace is designed as intergenerational - there's something for all ages, from toddlers through to fitness equipment and features that can be used by adults. You’re never too old to play! There are dedicated areas that work better for the little ones, as well as bigger features for older kids.
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Absolutely. Inclusivity was a top priority throughout the design process and had a major impact on the design direction, thanks to the generous input from affected communities. The playspace features a fully-fenced intensive play area, large-scale accessible wet-pour rubber surfacing, wide smooth pathways for wheelchairs and mobility devices, accessible equipment integrated throughout (not locked or separated off from the rest of the space), and an accessible toilet block.
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Yes. The main intensive zone of the playspace is fully fenced. This was one of the most consistent requests from the community, particularly from whānau of children who have a tendency to run or who need a secure environment to play confidently. There are also natural barriers such as tentacles and mounds created from river rocks that slow people down through the space and make it feel more contained, without affecting the overall experience.
OUR VISION
The aim is to open the playspace for summer 2026 and will be working in the following stages:
01.
Planning and design
Working with our community to shape the vision
02.
Development
Bringing creative ideas to life
03.
Construction
Building with care and quality
04.
Opening
Creating a vibrant new heart for our city
NEWS
In partnership with Nelson City Council
FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions
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Rutherford Park
A stunning location along the Mahitahi river, near sporting and events facilities and next to the skatepark, with plenty of active transport links and carparking. -
Summer 26/27
The planning and design phase is underway, and construction will begin in 2025. It is expected that design and construction will take around 18 months. -
Ngā Iwi o Te Tauihu in partnership with Nelson City Council.
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We’d still love to hear your thoughts — while our feedback form is now closed, you’re welcome to get in touch with us at kiaora@odandco.nz and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Your message will be confidential, and you can share as much or as little as you’d like.
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Get in touch with us at kiaora@odandco.nz and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
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