Greerton Marawaewae Recreation Reserve Study

BOON are part of a multidisciplinary consultant team working with Tauranga City Council to explore options for the future use of the land.

The project began with an extensive engagement process with input from mana whenua, existing users, and the wider community, to help generate land use options to be considered in a public consultation process led by Tauranga District Council.

The total area of reserve land is 85ha which is about the size of 100 rugby fields. Current activities on the site include golf, horse racing and equestrian, as well as limited access to Kopurererua Valley at back edge of the golf course. The purpose of the Greerton Maarawaewae study is to identify opportunities that will support wellbeing and livability as the city continues to grow. The results of the first phase of public consultation helped inform the option development from a narrowed down 10 options to 3. Working through a multi assessment process, public consultation, and hearing process, a recommendation for the future use of the land will be made to the crown in mid 2023.

The project has been a highly collaborative process with complex stakeholder engagement and public consultation. Our team has worked through contextual mapping, site analysis, and a graphic communication exercise illustrating, what could be possible on the site. We provided a number of iterations and possibilities to spur conversation and feasibility critique and analysis. The 3 options currently being assessed and involved in the hearings process include ; option 1 (plan 7 below) health services and a central park with a community center and active recreation that would revert to the central park if Health New Zealand decided it did not want the site. Option two (plan 3plus below) is a central park with active reaction and a community center and option three (plan 2) is enhanced status quo adding active recreation and possibly a community center to the site. Option one and two would require the racecourse and equestrian to be relocated while enhanced status quo would mean all current users can remain. With the possible need for racing and equestrian to relocate, together with a cross-organization working party we have been working through a feasibility study to identify possible sites and cost involved with this.