Whānau invited to refresh Simson Park in Moerewa

Te Rōpū Rangatahi o Simson Park is calling for all users of Simson Park Domain to have their say next Saturday on what the future could look like for the Moerewa community and sporting hub.

The community group is inviting users of the park to share their views between 11am and 3pm on Saturday, June 22 at the Simson Park Community Hall.

Simson Park is a vibrant hub for Moerewa, hosting sports, recreational activities, and various local events. It has a rich history of nurturing talented individuals and consistently producing top-tier sports teams.

“Greatness is in their DNA, and the community deserves excellent resources to match their achievements," says Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board member Roddy Pihema. "By involving everyone, we can ensure Simson Park remains a place where dreams and aspirations are captured."

Earlier this year, Te Rōpū Rangatahi o Simson Park was founded with help from Healthy Families Far North, which aims to improve community health and wellbeing. It has reviewed the existing Reserve Management Plan of Simson Park along with the community and has highlighted areas for enhancement. It aims to involve whānau and the wider community in future planning with key focus on empowering rangatahi to lead solutions on what Simson Park could be.

Key suggestions to have emerged so far from jamming and planning sessions include upgrading the park's infrastructure, improving sports facilities, developing more spaces catering specifically to children, enhancing the environment, and creating more opportunities for locals to improve health and wellbeing.

This consultation has been made possible with the support of the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board.

Anyone unable to attend the event on the day can go online to the Simson Park Reserve Management Plan webpage and have their say.

Feedback opened on 30 May and closes on 30 June 2024.