Kāwaroa Park Destination Play in New Plymouth is the largest playground in the Southern Hemisphere. It is perched right on the coast above the Tasman Sea, along New Plymouth’s coastal walkway.
Kāwaroa Park Destination Play
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Taranaki Foundation chief executive Josh Hickford says “When people think of playgrounds they think under 10 (age group), but it’s designed so adults and kids alike can enjoy it. That’s why it’s called Destination Play because play means different things to different people regardless of age or capability.’’
“There’s essentially 12 or 13 themed zones and we’ve tried with the design team to create areas for different ages, so grandparents and parents can play on these pieces as well, or you could just sit under the pohutukawa on the big deck read a book, have a coffee and just be.”
The playground faces north, baking in the sun in the summer months, perfect for the wet playground.
A pathway down to the sea takes you to hundreds of square metres of rock pools teaming with sea life. These are covered at high tide by the often-wild Tasman sea, with its breakers crashing onto the rock wall below the walkway, sending up misty sea spray.
Above rises the step alpine slopes of Mt Taranaki, an almost-perfect peak, snow-covered in winter.
”We really appreciate the exceptional way you stand by your products, the service was outstanding, and everything was handled promptly and professionally. Highly recommend you guys!
Pre-Construction ManagerPermaGroup
Builder
PermaGroup
This popular destination for locals and tourists alike needs facilities on the same scale, that offer the same premium experience.
Carefully located to avoid obstructing the beautiful views, but central enough to be useful near the car park, stands a brand new mixed-use changing and toilet facility. This includes changing rooms, lockable individual bathrooms, and wheelchair access units.
These facilities have been carefully designed to withstand the heavy use of the public comings and goings combined with the range of extreme weather. The materials used need to combat extreme heat and cold of the seasons in this exposed location, the wet and dry of the water park in summer, and constant salt spray from below.
The doors to these facilities are the main moving part and their successful performance and longevity are critical to the experience at this playground.
Parkwood’s Garrison commercial PA doors were selected as they exceeded all the requirements in this regard. The door’s 100% aluminium structure is strong and secure to hold up to constant and challenging use, changing temperatures and salt spray. The aluminium skins provide additional security whilst also giving a quality, refined finish. The powder coat finish, in the colour selected by the designers for ultimate playground ambience, is able to withstand the direct sun, rain and salt spray.
Parkwood’s customisable services and product range was chosen due to the ability to adapt products to suit the demands of the project. For example, the combination of door hardware is unique to these toilet facilities. This even comes down to the extrusions that make up these frames: they have been designed and extruded to suit the specialised wall thicknesses and linings that are durable in such spaces.
Parkwood will be glad to assist you in making the doors on your next project a long-term, enduring success. Check out our commercial door range and specs here, view downloadable files here or contact us here.
