Memorial Park

Haumoana's playground sits inside a war memorial park that the villagers paid for themselves, and its standout is a spinning carousel of nest swings under big shady trees. Known as the Haumoana Playground, it is the play space for this small coastal village in the Hastings district, sharing the reserve with courts, junior sports fields and the Memorial Hall.¹

Equipment

The council lists swings, a slide, a sandpit and a small skate plaza.¹ A council refresh replaced gear that dated mostly from 1965, adding mega and basket swings, a "spinning circus", a mini birds nest and an in-ground trampoline, while the climbing frame, the slide with a fireman's pole and the skate plaza stayed, along with toddler swings.² Photos show the spinning nest swings standing on rubber matting and a domed rope climbing net over bark, both pitched at school-age kids, while the sandpit and toddler swings suit under-fives.

History and Cultural

Residents began fundraising in 1947, bought seven acres on the edge of the village in 1951, and the park was dedicated on Anzac Day 1956 with a playing field, a paddling pool and swings.³ Carnivals, dances and even a paddock of onions raised the money. Haumoana-born architect John Scott designed the pavilion and the concrete memorial arch, which carries the names of local men killed in both world wars.⁴

Practical Info

There are public toilets, seating and a picnic table, with entrances off Pederson Road and Memorial Park Avenue.¹ Parking is free, and council park rules keep dogs out of playground and sports areas.⁵ One grandparent warns that the fencing along the stream needs attention if you have a curious four-year-old, and wished for a drinking fountain, so bring water. Another visitor found the small bin overflowing on a busy day, so plan to take your rubbish home.