本帖最后由 annie0002 于 2012-12-7 19:38 编辑
"Where else can you play in the water for free in Hamilton?''
JONATHAN CARSON
Last updated 11:32 18/04/2012
BEN CURRAN/ WAIKATO TIMES
Isla Cuming, 2, was the first child to explore the Potter Children's Garden yesterday afternoon.
A new children's play area at Hamilton's Parana Park opens to the public today.
Mayor Julie Hardaker will officially open the Potter Children's Garden, located on River Rd, at an event at 1pm. The event will include a blessing and kapa haka performance, along with children's entertainment such as face painting and stilt walking.
An upgrade of the play area has been in the pipeline for over a year, but the garden has taken only eight weeks to construct.
Ms Hardaker said the development "breathed new life'' into one of city's most popular playgrounds.
Isla Cuming, 2, was the first child to explore the Potter Children's Garden yesterday afternoon.
She dashed over the freshly laid grass to the swings, zipped down the slide, dipped her toes in the water feature and rode upon a tui bird. Mum, Deborah, said that, based on her daughter's enthusiastic response to the play area, she would definitely be bringing her back. "I think it's great. It's nice to have something else in the city that the kids can do for free,'' she said. "The water's fantastic. Where else can you play in the water for free in Hamilton?'' Hamilton City Council amenity parks contract supervisor, Gina Hailwood, said the garden created a more natural play area for children compared with "plastic fantastic'' playgrounds. "That's why we called it a children's garden really.' "It is about being in the environment.'' A strong kowhai theme flows throughout the garden, including a kowhai leaf-shaped viewing platform looking over the Waikato River. The 300-jet fountain is shaped like a kowhai seed and the slide like a kowhai flower. The garden also has tui chick and egg interactive sculptures and a small amphitheatre and playhouse. |