Pookeno Sports Park
Project objective
Pookeno Sports Park (Te Kupenga Wairepo o Pookeno) is designed to be a place that connects us and celebrates nature, recreation, and community.
With the Master Plan complete, we’re moving on to the next stage of concept design of the playground and skatepark
Background
This project has been a community priority since 2014. Over the years, Council have worked closely with the Pookeno Community Committee (PCC), mana whenua, and Sport Waikato.
- Public steering - Previous engagement over the years has seen over 300 community submissions, which helped directly informed the creation of the park's Master Plan.
- Master Plan creation: Pookeno Sports Park Masterplan was completed in August 2025, providing the blueprint for the park's future.
- On-Site Progress: Extensive civil works have already been completed, including stream diversion, site levelling, and the completion of a 70-space car park.
Project update
We have reached an exciting milestone! We are moving from the high-level Master Plan into the concept design phase for our two biggest features of the park: the destination playground and the skate park.
Since the community has already provided a steer on the park's overall layout, we are now seeking specific feedback on the look and feel, and specific elements of these zones to ensure they meet the community’s needs.
1. Destination Playground: This is a space for all ages and abilities. Funding is available and we will be working to move through the stages of detailed design. We expect to be out to tender by mid-2026 and aim to start construction by late 2026 early 2027
2. Skate Park (The ‘Youth Zone’): This area is intended to be a vibrant, safe congregation area. We are starting the design phase for the skatepark but will be seeking external funding to enableconstruction..
3. Public Toilet – We are also currently out to market for the procurement of a public toilet for the sports field and will work through setting up the necessary power and water services for the site,
While we’re working on the designs for the playground and skatepark, we’re also planning some improvements to the existing field area. These will begin in late February so that the field surface is improved and it can be better utilised by the community.
Please note, access to the carpark will be restricted during this time while contractors complete these works.
How to have your say
We want to hear from you! We want to ensure the community has more opportunities for input into the design and encourage you to share your thoughts on the playground and skatepark design via our survey coming soon.
We will continue working closely with target groups, iwi representatives, and accessibility advocates to ensure the design is inclusive and reflects the local identity.
Once we gather feedback, we will develop concept drawings. These will be shared with the community before we go to market for quotes and Council approval.
Last updated: 23 February 2026
Timeline
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February 2026Early community input on design, engagement with mana whenua and field improvements
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March / April 2026Draft concept designs presented and fundraising for the skatepark
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May / June 2026Final detailed design completed
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Decemeber 2026 / January 2027Construction planned to start for playground and public toilet
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2027Playground and public toilet open to the community