Waikato District Council has approved an application from Waitetuna School Board for a licence to occupy part of Waitetuna Reserve, near Raglan, for a new pump track.
The pump track will be a shared space for Waitetuna School students and the wider community to enjoy. It will be built and maintained by the school.
The licence to occupy is for approximately 2,913m² of the reserve, and is for 10 years with two rights of renewal for 10 years each (30 years in total).
A pump track is a looped track with rollers, berms and banked turns that lets riders on bikes, scooters, skateboards or rollerblades maintain speed using a pumping motion instead of pedalling or pushing.
Whaaingaroa Ward Councillor Lisa Thomson said the pump track was a great example of a community-led project, with Council and community working together to support local recreation, wellbeing and social connection.
“The pump track will be really great for this growing community, it’s an awesome project and it will be a real asset for the school and the community.”
Waitetuna School Principal Amanda Nasilasila says the pump track will provide a safe, local alternative for kids to get out on their bikes, skateboards, scooters, and rollerblades and have some fun.
“We are delighted that Waikato District Council has worked with us and our school board to enable us to use part of the reserve for a community pump track. I’ve been at Waitetuna School for six years and the kids have been talking about a pump track for all that time. To see this come to fruition is so exciting.”
She says the 73 students at the school, as well a playgroup that is based at the school, would all be looking forward to using the pump track. The board has secured funding for the project and work is expected to start in January 2026.
Waitetuna Reserve, originally held as freehold land, was vested in the Waikato District Council in 2002 as a Recreation Reserve during the subdivision of the surrounding lots.
Pictured: Waitetuna School students Tilly, Xander and Ollie where the pump track will be built on part of Waitetuna Reserve
