A large crowd of people has celebrated the official opening today of a new BMX track and skate park in the Auckland suburb of Waterview.
The community amenities were opened at a ribbon cutting event involving the NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Council’s Albert-Eden Local Board.
The track and park are part of the NZ Transport Agency’s Waterview Connection project linking Auckland’s Southwestern and Northwestern Motorways.
The BMX track and the skate park are the second and third stage of a redevelopment of the Waterview Reserve. Last December a water-themed playground for children was opened in the reserve, and further work includes establishing a heritage trail in the area. The fourth and final stage will see the heritage area alongside Oakley Creek enhanced with new walking connections and landscape plantings.
The Transport Agency’s Regional Director for Auckland and Northland, Ernst Zöllner says the redevelopment is a good example of how big infrastructure projects like the Waterview Connection work with local communities.
“The BMX track and the skate pack are world class and reflect a wider commitment by the Government and the Transport Agency to offset the impact construction work can have on surrounding neighbourhoods. A feature of the Waterview Connection project is the focus on providing new sporting facilities, playgrounds as well as news paths to be used by cyclists and walkers.”
Mr Zöllner says the facilities were important for the community and acknowledged the work of the Albert Eden Local Board to get the best possible outcomes.
The opening is welcomed by the Waterview representative on Auckland Council’s Albert-Eden Local Board, Margi Watson.
“The community has spent 8 years working towards this day,” she says. “The job is done! We’ve got some fabulous facilities for people to use. Very exciting!”
The facilities include features for both novice and experienced skateboarders and BMX riders. They were constructed by the Well-Connected Alliance delivering the Waterview Connection project for the NZ Government and the Transport Agency and an Australian firm, Convic, which has won international recognition for quality of similar tracks and parks it’s been involved with.
