An east Auckland grandmother is slamming the rundown state of a children’s playground in her neighbourhood.
The Times was contacted by the woman, who wants to remain anonymous, about the poor condition of the playground in Prince Regent Drive, Half Moon Bay.
She’s raised the matter with Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown’s local electorate office as well as with Howick ward councillor Sharon Stewart, Auckland Council, and the Howick Local Board.
Her concerns relate to its generally poor condition but specifically issues such as paint flaking off metal chains the swing is suspended from; tripping hazards caused by cracks and holes in various areas of the walking path; pieces of equipment, such as ride-on horses and roofing, having been removed and not replaced; the lowest step missing from the climbing wall; a dent in part of a timber frame, and woodchips on the ground beneath part of the playground, which she says cause splinters when children play on it barefoot.
The grandmother questions why the playground in Prince Regent Drive is in the condition it is while one in Annalong Park, Dannemora, recently received a $158,000 refresh funded by the Howick Local Board.
The playground in Annalong Park previously had a simple set-up with swings, a slide, and a climbing frame, but now has a brand-new “play experience” featuring a massive climbing structure, a twisting tube slide, spinning circle, swing set, and a fresh concrete pathway connecting to the basketball court.
“Prince Regent Drive Playground has been neglected for years, while one playground received $158,000 of [the board’s] general maintenance budget,” the grandmother says.
“The red swing is more than 33 years old. It was in the park when we arrived in 1992.
“The community needs and wants this playground, which has so much parking nearby.
“Schools come during the week, as well as young families.
“The local board needs to visit this much used and neglected playground.
“Health and safety is essential at a children’s playground.
“My grandchildren don’t go on the green slide. We avoid the rubbish bin and we clear the sharp woodchips from the under-fives area.”
Howick Local Board chairperson Damian Light responds: “We’ve asked staff to follow up on the immediate maintenance issues and understand the majority of the issues will be resolved this month.
“We understand the frustration of seeing playgrounds in a poor state and encourage residents to continue to log issues (online or via 09 301 0101).
“Unfortunately, local boards have very limited control or oversight of our maintenance contracts, despite being our largest expense ($14 million for Howick Local Board).
“While we’ve been told there have been good savings for council, greater visibility and accountability is vital and must be resolved before these contracts are renewed by council in 2027.”
Light says the playground at Prince Regent Drive needs a full renewal and update to modern standards.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the funding available to deliver everything our community needs.
“The council’s governing body has given us less than half what we need to maintain our community assets.
“Over the next nine years we’ve only been allocated $114.1m of the $216.5m we need to maintain our existing playgrounds, sport fields, and community buildings.
“And we still need to provide for our growing population, especially in Flat Bush.
“We’re grateful to residents who provided feedback on playgrounds in our recent survey and staff are using this to develop a more strategic approach to playgrounds.
“We heard loud and clear we need to have more interesting play options available that cater for a wider range of ages, as well as ensuring they’re more inclusive and accessible.”
And Marcel Morgan, manager area operations Howick and Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Boards, says the council has been in conversation with local residents about the condition of the playground in Prince Regent Drive.
“We appreciate this feedback, and we agree that while the unique, extended slide down a mound was a key feature at the time, the rest of the playground has not aged as well.
“Since its installation, the community has grown, and the playground no longer meets the diverse needs of how people want to play.
“Our contractor conducts weekly safety inspections of the playground, and an annual independent inspection was completed in June, 2025.
“The inspection confirmed a number of issues that align with the concerns we have received.
“Most were considered low-risk, but some items, such as raised plastic tiles and a post replacement, have been prioritised.
“Residents can expect to see contractors on site completing these tasks by the end of the month, dependent on factors such as the weather.”
Morgan says a two-part plan, involving short-term maintenance and a strategic upgrade, is in place for the playground.
“We’ve scheduled our contractor to complete the repairs identified in the inspection report by the end of August.
“The contractor will also continue with regular maintenance, including topping up the bark, replacing swing seats and chains, and recladding the climbing wall.
“A fresh coat of paint to protect the equipment is also planned.
“New rocking toys are coming at the end of the month, and these can be transferred to the new playground when it is built.
“The roof above one of the towers is more bespoke and will not be replaced as the playground is due to be upgraded in the near future.
“The playground is in a great location at the foot of Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain.
“The reserve has a good network of paths that connect to its entrances, allowing multi-mode transport as well public transport.
“From the park, there is also a tunnel under the road that leads to Waka Aranga Creek Reserve, connecting people to kilometres of coastal paths that link to Pakuranga and Bucklands Beach.
“The Howick Local Board is working with us on a play strategy for the local board area.
“This will serve as a roadmap for playground replacements across Howick, ensuring a fair spread of play types and a variety for all ages.
“It will be guided by community feedback and will include what play looks like for Prince Regent Drive.
“We recently completed a community consultation to get insights on how Howick plays, and the feedback highlighted gaps around the range of play types and spaces we provide, particularly for ages 12-plus.
“We plan another consultation with the community before presenting a final strategy to the new local board next year.”
