June 11 was the International Day of Play – and it also marked the official opening of the revamped Kerepēhi Community Playground.
The entire student body of nearby Kerepēhi School was present for the occasion, along with various councillors and staff from Hauraki District Council.
The ribbon was cut by Kerepēhi School’s head students, Tawhiro Luke Nathan and Briar Stockley, and the school also sang several waiata.
“We have officially opened this park to the dreamers, the runners, the climbers, and the makers of tomorrow,” principal Moana Te Moananui said.
Hauraki Mayor Toby Adams invited the tamariki to “enjoy [the playground], honour it, look after it, and have an enormous amount of fun”.
The playground was reimagined with input from the school’s students, who workshopped ideas with the council in July, 2025.
Alongside the existing swings and seesaw, it now also features a quarter-court basketball court and hoop, large main play structure, and other play equipment.
Toilets will be installed at the site at a later date.
The project cost $321,000, which included $200,000 from the Better Off Fund.
