Kupe North Reserve

Kupe North Reserve is a neighbourhood park in Kupe Street, Orakei. It's at the top of Takaparawhau Ridge on the piece of land leading out to Bastion Point. The site is of cultural significance to local iwi, as well as being an important recreational site.

The park is mostly open space, with a basketball court, a children's playground, and all-weather access linking Kupe Street and Kurahaupo Street. In the past, the reserve wasn't used as much as it could have been because of drainage problems, poor utilisation of space and conflicts between different user groups.

Concept design

A plan outlining improvements that could be made to Kupe Reserve was prepared in 2004. It identified a number of developments and local people were asked to identify priorities for the reserve upgrade. Following this public consultation, the council received 21 submissions - most of which were supportive of the plan to upgrade the reserve.

As a result of the public consultation the priorities for the reserve re-development were:

• the relocation of the children's playground, to separate it from the basketball court
• native tree planting
• earthworks to improve drainage
• removal of vegetation at Kupe Street entrance and replacement with bollards
• building a timber viewing deck at the high point of the reserve
• new footpaths

There was not a lot of community support for the removal of lighting in the park, so the lighting remained. Plans to build a petanque court; install interpretive signage on the viewing deck; and build a marker pou (Maori carved vertical post) were put on hold.

Download the concept design (211kb PDF)

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Updated December 2007