Foxton River Loop Reserve and Playground

Foxton River Loop Reserve's playground carries a strong nautical theme, reflecting the site's heritage as a working river port on the Manawatu River.

Equipment

Equipment includes a ship themed multi play structure with a slide, balance logs, a boat play structure, and a senior multi play structure with a slide, with the junior slide accessible to young children. Stylish shelters and picnic table settings are installed throughout the reserve.

Access and Inclusion

Off street parking sits within the reserve, with public toilets and picnic tables provided, and walkways at both ends of the esplanade connect to the wider Foxton pathway network.

History and Cultural

The Manawatu River mouth at Te Awahou, now Foxton, has been significant to Maori for many generations, used for kaimoana fishing and as a river highway inland. European settlers established Foxton's port in the 1840s, and by 1869 it was exporting 22,000 tonnes of flax fibre a year, with ships last calling in 1941 and the railway closing in 1959. A 1943 flood permanently altered the river course, creating the distinctive river loop the reserve now sits on. The reserve was rejuvenated with new plantings, shelters, and an upgraded playground.