Rutherford Park

Rutherford Park in central Nelson currently offers a modest play area beside the city's well loved Old Lumpy skate ramp, a handy stop for families passing through the CBD rather than a destination in its own right. That is about to change: an iwi led destination playspace, designed around the story of Te Wheke a Muturangi, is under construction on the site and due to open in summer 2026/2027.

The playground today

The existing play area serves families visiting the skate precinct and the wider park while construction continues nearby. Once complete, the new site will add adventure play zones built around an octopus inspired design, shade structures, fenced sections, and toilets, making it the largest dedicated playspace in Nelson's city centre.

History and Cultural

The redevelopment was designed by the eight iwi of Te Tauihu, drawing on more than 500 community submissions. The park itself is named for Ernest Rutherford, the physicist born at nearby Brightwater who attended Nelson College before becoming the first person to split the atom.

Getting there

The park sits in the heart of Nelson's CBD, an easy walk from the city's bus routes and public car parks, and the site is flat and fully accessible.