Joy Cowley Children's Playground

The Joy Cowley Children's Playground in Featherston is a large, fully fenced playground built for a wide age range, with a separate toddler area and a mix of climbing, spinning and sliding equipment for older children. A 2025 refurbishment introduced a soft pour surface, replaced ageing structures and relocated the flying fox, with the work so far concentrated on the area closest to Tait Crescent.

Equipment

The fenced junior section has its own multi-play structure with a slide, a turn spike carousel, a basket swing, spring toys and a fenced tractor piece for younger tamariki. The wider playground adds a senior multi-play structure with a tubular slide, a flying fox, a climbing net, a see-saw and a maypole.

Access and Inclusion

The 2025 refurbishment introduced a soft pour surface and set improved accessibility as a stated goal, alongside removing structures flagged as unsafe and relocating the flying fox. A drinking fountain, public toilets and picnic tables are on site, and parking is on street near Tait Crescent.

History and Cultural

South Wairarapa District Council voted unanimously in September 2023 to name the playground after Joy Cowley, following a recommendation from the Featherston Community Board and a public survey that returned 129 responses, the large majority in favour. Cowley lived in Featherston for twenty years and was patron of the town's Booktown Festival before relocating to Dunedin in late 2023. She has sold more than 40 million books worldwide, was made a Member of the Order of New Zealand in 2018, and received the Arts Foundation of New Zealand's Icon Award in 2020. The playground was blessed in December 2023 in a ceremony that included waiata and haka performed by children from three Featherston schools.

Practical Info

The playground sits beside Tait Crescent, next door to a children's bookshop and close to the Featherston Booktown Festival grounds. There's only minimal tree shade over the play equipment itself, though picnic tables and some seating sit under trees. Parking is on street, and the site is smokefree under South Wairarapa District Council policy.