"To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my full support and endorsement for CPlay Playground, a community asset that provides an accessible environment for all children, and a community driven project that deserves recognition and appreciation.

CPlay is a remarkable example of how a community can come together to create something beautiful and beneficial for all. The playground was championed by volunteers. It prioritised cultural inclusion and accessibility, setting a standard for future endeavours. Funds were raised predominately by donations from local businesses, members of the community, schools, clubs, and grants. The collaborative efforts of volunteers, government, charities, and private sector partners were crucial to the success. Volunteers led communications, concept design, and fundraising, resulting in broader community engagement and support.

The involvement of a respected charitable trust, The Aoraki Foundation, enhanced transparency with donors and lightened the load on volunteers, allowing them to focus on community engagement and playground design. The Timaru District Council's sponsorship and management support streamlined processes and ensured transparency with contractors. A skilled project manager, representing both CPlay and Council interests, facilitated effective coordination during the construction phase. Specialist contractors were enlisted for design and construction tasks, guaranteeing quality, safety, and adherence to design requirements. 

The result is a superb and fun playground that caters to the diverse needs and abilities of all children, taking into consideration all their physical, mental, or sensory needs and challenges.

The playground features a variety of equipment, such as swings, slides, climbing structures, tunnels, bridges, and sensory panels, that are safe, durable, and adaptable. These have been themed to help share our stories and histories of the Caroline Bay area, including bespoke whare, shipwreck and lighthouse slide tower. The playground also has a large open space for running, playing, and socialising, as well as a shaded area for resting and picnicking. There have been large crowds there over the Summer, and because of the ample space, it hasn't felt chaotic. The playground is surrounded by trees and plants, creating a natural and inviting environment for children and families, both local and visiting.

CPlay has enhanced one of our District's premier parks; Caroline Bay, and created a wonderful space for children to play, and a place for the community to connect, learn, and grow, ultimately helping our community thrive together. This project contributes to the Timaru Districts vision, Connecting Citizens, Enhancing Lifestyle and a Sustainable Environment." Read full feedback here Letter from the Mayor regarding CPlay - NZ Playground awards 2024 - Nigel Bowen, Timaru District Council Mayor

 

... .The creation of a vibrant and inclusive playground aligns with this Government's objectives of stronger communities and actively promotes the well-being of our region. ... Research underscores the significant economic, environmental, cultural, and health-related benefits associated with investments in play, active recreation, and sport. The CPlay playground is accessible to all members of our community, regardless of ability or background, fostering inclusivity and diversity in our shared spaces. ... This project also illustrates the amazing community spirit that is alive and well in South Canterbury. The
tireless efforts of the CPlay volunteers, along with the generosity of local businesses and the community have made this project a reality." Read full feedback here - James Meager MP, Member of Parliament for Rangitata

Karl Te Raki, Francine Spencer, Roselyn Fauth, Nigel Bowan, James Megar, Owen Jackson and Bill Steans take the opportunity for a photo after the playground bless with Arowhenua. - Photo Geoff Cloake

 

"CPlay is used from dawn until dusk and it has been difficult to find time to clean and inspect equipment. The popularity of CPlay is fifteen times that of the previous playground at the same site. This is evidenced by having to install additional bins for waste and recycling. ... People enjoying CPlay have been too numerous to count at busy times. On occasions there have been more people using the playground than the thousands attending the free Carnival concerts. Ages of users range from 2 to 92 years old. ... CPlay is used from dawn until dusk and it has been difficult to find time to clean and inspect equipment. The popularity of CPlay is fifteen times that of the previous playground at the same site. This is evidenced by having to install additional bins for waste and recycling. ... Council sees the benefits of this project as a positive contribution to the lifestyle afforded residents and a drawcard for visitors. This is evident in the vibrancy created by spontaneous social interactions spaces used for recreational and cultural activities, physical challenges aiding physical, cognitive development and fitness. The considerable number of visitors provide an economic contribution to local businesses. Hospitality, service, tourism, and retail sectors have all benefited from visitors to CPlay." Read full feedback here - Bill Steans, Parks and Recreation Manager

 

"I write on behalf of the Tongan Society South Canterbury in support of the dedication, commitment and hard ngāue (work) conducted by the Cplay Volunteer team who lead the whole Cplay project.

Relationships in Tonga are key as we build and nurture relationships (tauhi va). We were so happy to be able to contribute to the development of the Pasifika frangipani and the tables that were made larger to accommodate our families.

This has made such a different to our Tongan and Pasifika communities as we see ourselves in the space and feel welcomed. Not only that, this is now a place where we can bring all our family to enjoy and play.

In our eyes, the playground is a huge success and we highlight that Roselyn as the Creative Team volunteer made us be part of the journey – and has maintained contact since. This is a double win for their team!." -  Pauline-Jean Luyten

"The South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce is pleased to have played a small part in supporting the impressive and well used new CPlay – Timaru’s new destination playground. When you want to understand the heart of the Timaru Community – look no further than this amazing playground. Entirely created by volunteers, supported by donations, suppliers, contractors and the Timaru District Council – this playground has provided a unique and accessible destination. With 40 play pieces including a mound in the shape of a tuna eel, a 14.5m long shipwreck, 10m high lighthouse, trampolines swings, mouse wheel, 50m double flying fox, and the Timaru District's nostelgic yellow horse from the 1960s! This is a statement piece and a reflection of how we get things done around here  – congratulations to the C-Play team". Wendy Smith. Chief Executive, South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce

Wendy Smith (second to last) with her team from the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. - Photo Owen Jackson

 

CPlay demonstrated wonderful collaboration between a passionate community group, mana whenua, Council, and a range of stakeholders and communities – a good practice and a model that could potentially be replicated. The project utilised cultural inclusion, and accessibility and inclusivity considerations, and processes to support these, that could be used as an example for some future projects.
The CPlay Committee were deliberate in genuinely making efforts to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and communities through the project and as the project required. Youth, disability, and multicultural groups were engaged throughout this incredible journey, start to finish. This engagement resulted in consideration of various design, aesthetic, and functionality aspects of the playspace.
The CPlay project has had a collaborative and strategic approach, consideration for a wider range of user groups, and an attention to detail. The CPlay project demonstrated engagement with mana whenua to learn about the space, and to invite for stories and cultural weave through the space – learning about the past for now and for the future. Additionally, CPlay has had a strong focus on accessibility and inclusivity.
Due to the collaboration between the CPlay Committee and Timaru District Council, various approaches and implementations at CPlay have the potential to be utilised as an approach for the consideration of future playspace development or redevelopment in the district. Examples of this include the cultural components, and the accessibility and inclusion considerations. The approaches used for the consideration of cultural components and for accessibility and inclusion have demonstrated a model that could be applied for future projects.
The CPlay Committee were intentional in engaging with mana whenua to learn from, and to help bring to life various narratives of the space and the role in the CPlay playspace. Te Reo Māori has also been used in some areas of the playspace. In addition, the CPlay Committee were intentional about having an accessibility and inclusivity foci for the playspace. They learned from and worked with a range of community members about how to effectively apply this approach to the space. - Adam Gard’ner. Regional Play Lead, Sport Canterbury

 

Filming in the playground with the Sports South Canterbury team. Photo Roselyn Fauth

 

 

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Feedback from Kids and Educators

 

"Timaru’s new CPlay playground is the latest educational tool for the Heritage Education Service, based at the South Canterbury Museum.
The service which, has been operating for 19 years and offers a ‘hands on approach to learning’, is excited to introduce a play-based learning opportunity for local children.
Schools can explore the $3 million community-built playground to learn about local history from mana whenua creation stories right through to the daring rescues performed by the Rocket Brigade. In the 1870s. Museum Educators expand on the stories introduced by the playground with free programmes that align with recent changes made to the government curriculum, emphasizing local history.
By encouraging physical play, imagination and curiosity, students can begin to understand that history changes depending on whose perspective you take. For example, the development of the port bought safety to the dangerous occupation of shipping while at the same time affecting the size of the Waitarakao Lagoon where mana whenua traditionally fished and collected food.
As students learn about the history of the area, they start to include aspects of the new knowledge in their play so that instead of a pirate ship it becomes the ship that is taking your annual harvest of wheat to market and the boxes floating in the water are your luggage as you move to a new land. While playing the students notice details of the playground based in Timaru’s past.
A ‘story circle’ with informative signs is underdevelopment and will feature local art and artifacts from galleries and museums to help locals and visitors learn more as they play. Roselyn Fauth has worked alongside the Museum Educators to develop a guide that helps explain the stories that inspired CPlay, these are available from the South Canterbury Museum, Timaru Information Centre or you can visit the CPlay website to read about the history in more detail. 
The playground is a way for children and adults to learn as they play, encourage conversations about our history and hopefully be curious to find out more!” - Keely Kroening, South Canterbury Museum Educator

Learning tool: South Canterbury Museum educators Ruth Gardiner (left) and Keely Kroening have embraced CPlay as a new learning tool meeting schools at the playground to help deliver the local history and story curriculum. - Photo Roselyn Fauth

 

"Year 9 and 10 students from Timaru Boys High School: the general consensus is that the new playground is:
"way more teenage friendly - there is more stuff for us to do"
"better and has equipment that suits us"
"not just for little kids now"
"Way more fun"
"we are definitely not too old to like it - it doesn't matter how old you are you can still have fun"
"It's good having the BBQ there"
The consensus is that the flying fox is the best thing, followed by the lighthouse, then the roundabout (spinny around thing)” - Phil Robertshaw TBHS Guidance Counsellor

Kia ora. Waimataitai Kura took their Yr0-2 students to cplay this week. The kids pretty much ran themselves into a stand still, they had so much fun. It was a very slow walk back to school!
Rose has asked for some feedback - a couple of the tree circles might need some drainage as they were quite boggy and the trees might not like the wet feet. Minor.
Rubbish bins near the bbq - probably there already but wasn’t sure. (Also I am pretty sure this isn’t your issue but just didn’t want rubbish blowing around the play space)
That’s it - we absolutely loved it! Not only were the kids physically active but they also were inventing games and stories especially on and around the ship wreck. The adults appreciated the seating provided.
The trampoline which has the wheel chair access was a bonus water feature….hopefully it is strong enough to withstand the tamariki jumping from up high onto it.
I think my favourite part was hearing that some children went back again after school. A destination place. You deserve all the accolades - what a lucky community to have a group of people who can drive something forward to create this place.
I do wonder - does it need a name?
This was my most favourite photo I took on the day.
- C Davidson, Teacher at Waimataitai


This playground is wonderful. It allows children to take risks, and play in a stimulating, safe place. FUN. Superb work team.


Feedback from 7-8-9 year olds (Year 3/4s, commenting on the highlight of their school year)
I loved the big pirate ship at C Play - you could climb up it and it’s kind of diagonal, sloped. It was really fun. (8 yr old female)
I liked going to C Play. At C Play I got one hand on the top of the walk-wall, but I slipped off. It was FUN. (8 year old male)
I like going to C Play - I like climbing in the lighthouse and going down the slide. (8 year old female)
I loved C Play - the lighthouse and the zip line are my favourite things. (8 year old male)
I loved going to C Play - I went down the big slide a couple of times. The net was crowded getting up there. 8 year old female) (there were 5 classes at the playground at the time and she loved the excitement of the crowded net)
I liked going to C Play - especially the lighthouse. (9 year old male)
C Play, was good. I liked the bashed up ships, you can go inside them. (8 yr old male)
I liked going to C Play - I liked the ninja course where you had to run up and put your hands on top of the bit. I liked the big slide on the lighthouse. (8 yr old male)
C Play and climbing up the lighthouse - it takes so long! I liked the slide. (9 yr old female)
I loved C Play - I could climb up and touch the orange flag. (8 year old female)
I loved going to C Play with my class - I loved the music area best. (8 year old male)
I liked going to C Play . The day I went to C Play with my class, I went to C Play again at 7 o’clock with my family (9 yr old female)
The trip to C Play was fun, I liked climbing the spider web. (7 year old male)
I like going to C Play - in the ship there is mic’s (microphones). 8 yr old male


"The playground is magnificent, an absolute credit to the hardworking team. Our Waimataitai tamariki and whanau had a fantastic time there on Wednesday and I see it becoming a regular trip for us.
Love its inclusiveness and a great range of physical activities for all." - Jill Robinson, Room 7 Teacher at Waimataitai

 

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Feedback from people regarding accessability

"We love the fort with the tree stumps to climb up. My son has cerebral palsy and has difficulty getting up most steps but climbs these like a pro!" - K Searle

"My son loves the special needs swing he's special needs and won't go on normal swings he loves it. ... it's great all people with different abilities are able to be included." - K Armishaw

"To all the Cplay Committee,
A heartfelt thanks to you all!! For the endless hours of planning, fundraising and then executing such a wonderful playground for our community. Such an incredible asset to South Canterbury and for future generations to come. As a mother of a child with a physical disability and an able bodied son the playground has meant so much to our family. Watching my 2 children play on the playground for the first time, and BOTH be happy bought tears to my eyes. Playgrounds have unfortunately been avoided in our family as it's been "too hard". BUT NOT NOW!!! THANK YOU. For my daughter to feel included and have equipment to play on, something that has been far and few between the past 9 years for her. We are so incredibly grateful. - S and C Latta

 

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Feedback from Tourism and Business Community 

"Our regular guests are thrilled with the additional attraction of CPlay to add to their holiday favourites, but more importantly there is a steady stream of guests who have cited CPlay as a primary reason to come to Timaru or to come more often. (I am not even making this up, there was one today) It is now up to us to make sure the overall experience keeps them coming back." - G Collister, Owner/Operator Timaru Top 10 Holiday Park.

"We have had families come into the restaurant that said they made to stop in Timaru while traveling to Christchurch or Dunedin just to check out the new playground and have decided to stay for lunch. The impact to the local community is more than a great new playground, it's an asset that supports local business and markets the town to a larger group of people. Many of these families are multi-generational too." - Clarissa Doran, Owner/Operator The Oxford Restaurant

"We have visited the playground with our relations from out of town and both us and our visitors just love it. It is suitable for all ages from our 3 year old granddaughter who told me it is her favourite playground to her older cousins who love the more challenging aspects ie: the big wall. It is such an amazing asset to our community and I tend to agree with our granddaughter it is the best playground EVER." - Jeanna Munro, Marketing/Admin Manager. Maree Hynes Interiors

CPlay volunteers Owen Jackson (OJ) and Roselyn Fauth gave Timaru Districts visitor promotion agency team Venture Timaru, a tour through the playground to help devise a communication and marketing plan to promote the playground nationally as a destination.  - Photo Roselyn Fauth

 

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Feedback on communication signage

"Timaru – bilingual coreboard mahi
Communication is a human right and at Wahanga Tū Kōrero | TalkLink our job is to make communication accessible for everyone! Last year we had the pleasure of collaborating with the CPlay Playground team to develop a core vocabulary board for this setting. We are always excited to see these communication tools become increasingly visible and accessible around the motu! Having a core board in a playground like Caroline Bay means that tamariki who communicate in an alternative way can continue to communicate at the playground too!
Core vocabulary boards are a type of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), and they provide an alternative means for people to communicate. High frequency or “core” words are represented visually using symbols and words on a board and individuals can point to the board to communicate their messages. Word types are organised by colour which supports locating and accessing the language to construct messages. 
It is also important to note that the core board at Caroline Bay is bilingual – it includes both English and Te Reo. We recognise that more research is required to know how best to represent Te Reo on a core board. However, we wanted to ensure that Te Reo is always an option and thus are relying on collaboration and consultation with iwi and translators to find what works best. Tukuna te reo, kia rere!
We hope that all tamariki can enjoy themselves and communicate at this playground whilst simultaneously teaching the wider community what AAC is all about!"

- Mary (Mere) Browne. Speech-Language Therapist I Kaiwhakatikatika reo Kōrero. TalkLink Trust

 

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Some of the positive feedback we have received via our website feedback form

 

It is an awesome playground for all ages, that caters for all abilities. A lot of thought and attention to detail has gone into it. - J Trotter

I closely followed the development of the new playground CPlay each week while on my walks around Caroline Bay. I am very proud to show my family CPlay & see them enjoying the exciting new equipment. I joined a Guided tour to learn more about the history & stories the playground was created from. My favourite story was learning about the Rocket Brigade. My family were just as intrigued as me especially my 16 year old Grandson to learn how the Rocket Brigade fired lines from two rocket guns with trousers attached to a buoy & pulled the passengers & sailors to shore & safety. The Flying Fox with its two rocket guns is my grandchildren's favourite. I have had great feedback from other Grandparents & it is very exciting to see so many families of all ages using CPlay. Congratulations to all involved in creating this wonderful asset for Timaru. - M Maddren 

"Zac absolutely loved going to find his tile when the playground opened, as you can see he was so proud of his artwork. He has been so excited to show his friends it when they have play dates at CPlay. Will be great memories to show off when he’s older. If this playgrounds around in 20 years he maybe showing his own children his masterpiece" - Gabrielle Hale

"Wonderful challenges for all ages. Some of the drop offs are a bit high, especially for younger ones who aren't great with spatial awareness or walking". - K, Name Supplied

"Good variety and good use of space- really like the silver musical thing by the lighthouse".  - K, Name Supplied

"I love the new design. It's great for my 2 and 4 year old. The activities are amazing for all ages you've done an amazing job." - K, Name Supplied

I like how accessible it is for everyone - S, Name Supplied

It's fantastic. All 3 of my children (7, 13 and 16) enjoyed themselves. Suits a wide range of ages. V, Name Supplied

We love the new playground and the work that has gone into it. I loved the inclusiveness of disabled children. I seen many of them having such a great time while we were there. - Name Supplied

Fantastic playground that has provided so much entertainment for our kids. It caters to a range of ages and our 1&2 yr old can safely play alongside much older kids - S, Name Supplied

Went while the carnival was on and the kids had to be dragged away from the playground and then wanted to go straight back! Spent most of our day there in the end. The fact that the kids ranged in age from 1.5 to 15 and they all had a blast and parents even got involved and had an absolute blast. Loved the seating areas and the theme!! - T,  Name Supplied

Because it is a fabulous Playground for Timaru to be proud of and kids for generations to enjoy. Everything, it is adventurous challenging and something for everyone regardless of confidence levels. The paddling pool still an absolute favourite and the shade sails are great . Please never get rid of the pool.The whole Bay Area looks amazing . Well done everyone. K, Name Supplied

Fabulous space for all! My 9 year old loved the challenge of the high wall! My 6 year old loved the music & trampolines. Also mum loved the activities that are hidden under the ship wreck! Such a cool quiet space to cater for all kids! S, Name Supplied

A huge effort by the volunteers and community. Such an asset for the families visiting and living in the area. I liked the presentation and the different activities the most. G, Name Supplied

It is a fantastic area which caters for all ages of children. My children aged 16 months to 7 years all had the best time. Even after multiple visits still so entertained. The variety, providing different fun to an everyday playground. We loved it and feel so lucky to have that right at our back door. - K, Name Supplied

My kids and husband loved it they have been having so much fun since it opened, there is something for everyone. - S, Name Supplied

Beautiful playground with so much for the kids to do & explore. Colorful & lots of variety. Interactive & fun, the soft Numat/Creo surfaces are really nice. - C, Name Supplied

Because you all have created a wonderful inclusive space for all. I think it's great, little people area has challenge and items with easy success, covers a range of ages and abilities within the ECE bracket. Fab use of items that can be used for open ended play and challenge like the logs and rocks. Great mix of natural and man made. - A, Name Supplied

It's is a very amazing flow and lots of different activities will good way to spend a day with put costing money The fact there is activities for all ages - L, Name Supplied

Well designed, love the musical and interactive aspects - R, Name Supplied

So much to do, experience, use. No children seemed to be waiting as there was always something else to use. "The gentle musical instruments were lovely. And the water fountains. I loved the connection between the paddling pool and bike track. Nicely linked." - P, Name Supplied

 

 

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Feedback from our contractors and suppliers

 

“We were thrilled to be a part of such a meaningful and enjoyable project for our local community. Contributing to the development of the new playground in Timaru felt incredibly rewarding, and we couldn't be happier with of our involvement. At Branded Kiwi, we were engaged in the process, from printing to producing and installing various signage elements throughout the playground.

For the past four years, Branded Kiwi has actively participated in the conversation surrounding the playground's development. We've provided ongoing advice and support, ensuring that the signage integration not only looked good but also was practical and inclusive. We are happy to see details in the signage considering accessibility for individuals of all heights, appropriate font sizes, and the inclusion of symbols for those who engage with visual storytelling.

Sustainability was a key consideration in our approach. We opted for high-quality materials that are UV-resistant and anti-graffiti, ensuring that the signage will have a longer lifespan and reduce wastage. Additionally, we use water-based inks, minimizing our environmental footprint while maintaining excellent print quality.

We were particularly stoked with how the mouse wheel turned out, which we wrapped in a vibrant red design with history information doubling as a game, design donated by Roselyn Fauth. Now, seeing our contributions in action, we feel an additional sense of pride knowing that our children get to enjoy the playground we helped create.

We're excited about the future collaboration with CPlay to develop the next round of signage. We look forward to continuing to share the stories and history that inspired the playground, further enriching the community experience for all.“ - Sean, Branded Kiwi 

Branded Kiwi team member adding signage details to the crates at the playground to help people connect to the stories that inspired the playground design. - Photo Roselyn Fauth