Freeland Reserve sits at the foot of Puketāpapa (Mt Roskill)and is the taonga in the crown of the Roskill South Development, a KāingaOra - Homes and Communities Urban Development project.
The upgrades Piritahi has made to Freeland Reserve will massively improve stormwater management, regulating the flow of water and reducing the potential impact of flooding for the neighbourhood. But the most exciting change is something we call the ’daylighting’ of Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek), that ran through Freeland Reserve.
Daylighting means we have brought this underground stream, which ran through 130m-long pipes, to the surface. This process has restored the area to its more natural state while supporting native flora and fauna to thrive. With the addition of pathways, viewing platforms and a BBQ area, this is a space for the Roskill South community to enjoy.
Once the design was complete and consents were obtained, more than fifty people worked on the project for 18 months to complete it. The new reserve is 14,745m2 - the equivalent of two rugby fields, and a total of 10,139 cubic metres of earthworks was removed, equivalent to four Olympic pools’ worth of dirt!
Te Whangai Trust volunteers helped our subcontractors plant the reserve with more than 3,696 specimen trees and 7,670 native shrubs. A total of 2,255 ferns and grasses will provide additional habitat for birds and insects and increase the connection between green spaces in the Roskill area for the wellbeing and enjoyment of surrounding communities.
Running through the reserve is 1,862m2 of shared walkways interconnected by two wooden bridges over the wetlands. Eel (tuna) patterns are embedded into concrete flood walls and pathways. Murals and cultural motifs are etched on the concrete flood walls and paths and the public can enjoy the view from two strategically positioned viewing platforms, as well as cook for family and friends' on the new BBQ area.
On the 21st of March this year 76.8mm of rain fell in Tāmaki Makaurau– something that hasn’t happened for the last 50 years. It was a major test of the reserve’s upgraded flood mitigation, and the good news is that there was no flooding of nearby properties, and the stormwater was contained within the new wetland - a great success!
Freeland Reserve was finally open for public to use with karakia and a blessing on 31st August this year. This was followed up with the official grand opening celebration on Saturday, 29th October with music, dancing, face painting, ice cream, and so much more!
It was an amazing day with the community, Piritahi gave away almost 400 ice creams and ice blocks, and there were also 500 sausage sizzles handed out by Kāinga Ora, so that gives you an idea of how busy the day was. The array of food, colours, music, and most importantly te tangata - the people - made this day so special that not even the rain could dampen the happy energy that was in the air.
Check out the great pics below and a wonderful video from our client and partner Kāinga Ora for all the good vibes of this successfully delivered new infrastructure which will improve amenity and stormwater in the area.
A selection of the many partners and community groups that attended:
Auckland Council Libraries
Auckland Light Rail
AUT
Bike Kitchen
Build partners
Cook Island performance
Ei Katu group (flower head pieces)
Friends of Oakley Creek
Happy Kids Face-painting
Lilly Jin & Co (Chinese Opera & Te Reo songs)
Lizzie – weavers
LB Chair – Ella Kumar (Bollywood dancing also), Jon Turner and Roseanna Hay
May Road Primary school
Mikey Falesiu (MC)
Minister Michael Woods & Councillor J Fairey Albert-Eden – Puketapapa Ward
Miss India Cosmetics - henna tattoo artist
Nia Vavao and partner (music)
Numa McKenzie (an artist who called in.)
Pare Kore
Piritahi
Pop Up and Play
Roskill Chinese Group – Zhou Smith & Joseph Ngui
Roskill Together
Salvation army (flyer distribution pre-event)
Spinpoi interactive class
Tatau Dance Academy - Sake
Tongan Performance - Leva
Wise Women (vegetarian food)
Xtreme Hip Hop group
Freeland Reserve sits at the foot of Puketāpapa (Mt Roskill)and is the taonga in the crown of the Roskill South Development, a KāingaOra - Homes and Communities Urban Development project.
The upgrades Piritahi has made to Freeland Reserve will massively improve stormwater management, regulating the flow of water and reducing the potential impact of flooding for the neighbourhood. But the most exciting change is something we call the ’daylighting’ of Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek), that ran through Freeland Reserve.
Daylighting means we have brought this underground stream, which ran through 130m-long pipes, to the surface. This process has restored the area to its more natural state while supporting native flora and fauna to thrive. With the addition of pathways, viewing platforms and a BBQ area, this is a space for the Roskill South community to enjoy.
Once the design was complete and consents were obtained, more than fifty people worked on the project for 18 months to complete it. The new reserve is 14,745m2 - the equivalent of two rugby fields, and a total of 10,139 cubic metres of earthworks was removed, equivalent to four Olympic pools’ worth of dirt!
Te Whangai Trust volunteers helped our subcontractors plant the reserve with more than 3,696 specimen trees and 7,670 native shrubs. A total of 2,255 ferns and grasses will provide additional habitat for birds and insects and increase the connection between green spaces in the Roskill area for the wellbeing and enjoyment of surrounding communities.
Running through the reserve is 1,862m2 of shared walkways interconnected by two wooden bridges over the wetlands. Eel (tuna) patterns are embedded into concrete flood walls and pathways. Murals and cultural motifs are etched on the concrete flood walls and paths and the public can enjoy the view from two strategically positioned viewing platforms, as well as cook for family and friends' on the new BBQ area.
On the 21st of March this year 76.8mm of rain fell in Tāmaki Makaurau– something that hasn’t happened for the last 50 years. It was a major test of the reserve’s upgraded flood mitigation, and the good news is that there was no flooding of nearby properties, and the stormwater was contained within the new wetland - a great success!
Freeland Reserve was finally open for public to use with karakia and a blessing on 31st August this year. This was followed up with the official grand opening celebration on Saturday, 29th October with music, dancing, face painting, ice cream, and so much more!
It was an amazing day with the community, Piritahi gave away almost 400 ice creams and ice blocks, and there were also 500 sausage sizzles handed out by Kāinga Ora, so that gives you an idea of how busy the day was. The array of food, colours, music, and most importantly te tangata - the people - made this day so special that not even the rain could dampen the happy energy that was in the air.
Check out the great pics below and a wonderful video from our client and partner Kāinga Ora for all the good vibes of this successfully delivered new infrastructure which will improve amenity and stormwater in the area.
A selection of the many partners and community groups that attended:
Auckland Council Libraries
Auckland Light Rail
AUT
Bike Kitchen
Build partners
Cook Island performance
Ei Katu group (flower head pieces)
Friends of Oakley Creek
Happy Kids Face-painting
Lilly Jin & Co (Chinese Opera & Te Reo songs)
Lizzie – weavers
LB Chair – Ella Kumar (Bollywood dancing also), Jon Turner and Roseanna Hay
May Road Primary school
Mikey Falesiu (MC)
Minister Michael Woods & Councillor J Fairey Albert-Eden – Puketapapa Ward
Miss India Cosmetics - henna tattoo artist
Nia Vavao and partner (music)
Numa McKenzie (an artist who called in.)
Pare Kore
Piritahi
Pop Up and Play
Roskill Chinese Group – Zhou Smith & Joseph Ngui
Roskill Together
Salvation army (flyer distribution pre-event)
Spinpoi interactive class
Tatau Dance Academy - Sake
Tongan Performance - Leva
Wise Women (vegetarian food)
Xtreme Hip Hop group
Freeland Reserve sits at the foot of Puketāpapa (Mt Roskill)and is the taonga in the crown of the Roskill South Development, a KāingaOra - Homes and Communities Urban Development project.
The upgrades Piritahi has made to Freeland Reserve will massively improve stormwater management, regulating the flow of water and reducing the potential impact of flooding for the neighbourhood. But the most exciting change is something we call the ’daylighting’ of Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek), that ran through Freeland Reserve.
Daylighting means we have brought this underground stream, which ran through 130m-long pipes, to the surface. This process has restored the area to its more natural state while supporting native flora and fauna to thrive. With the addition of pathways, viewing platforms and a BBQ area, this is a space for the Roskill South community to enjoy.
Once the design was complete and consents were obtained, more than fifty people worked on the project for 18 months to complete it. The new reserve is 14,745m2 - the equivalent of two rugby fields, and a total of 10,139 cubic metres of earthworks was removed, equivalent to four Olympic pools’ worth of dirt!
Te Whangai Trust volunteers helped our subcontractors plant the reserve with more than 3,696 specimen trees and 7,670 native shrubs. A total of 2,255 ferns and grasses will provide additional habitat for birds and insects and increase the connection between green spaces in the Roskill area for the wellbeing and enjoyment of surrounding communities.
Running through the reserve is 1,862m2 of shared walkways interconnected by two wooden bridges over the wetlands. Eel (tuna) patterns are embedded into concrete flood walls and pathways. Murals and cultural motifs are etched on the concrete flood walls and paths and the public can enjoy the view from two strategically positioned viewing platforms, as well as cook for family and friends' on the new BBQ area.
On the 21st of March this year 76.8mm of rain fell in Tāmaki Makaurau– something that hasn’t happened for the last 50 years. It was a major test of the reserve’s upgraded flood mitigation, and the good news is that there was no flooding of nearby properties, and the stormwater was contained within the new wetland - a great success!
Freeland Reserve was finally open for public to use with karakia and a blessing on 31st August this year. This was followed up with the official grand opening celebration on Saturday, 29th October with music, dancing, face painting, ice cream, and so much more!
It was an amazing day with the community, Piritahi gave away almost 400 ice creams and ice blocks, and there were also 500 sausage sizzles handed out by Kāinga Ora, so that gives you an idea of how busy the day was. The array of food, colours, music, and most importantly te tangata - the people - made this day so special that not even the rain could dampen the happy energy that was in the air.
Check out the great pics below and a wonderful video from our client and partner Kāinga Ora for all the good vibes of this successfully delivered new infrastructure which will improve amenity and stormwater in the area.
A selection of the many partners and community groups that attended:
Auckland Council Libraries
Auckland Light Rail
AUT
Bike Kitchen
Build partners
Cook Island performance
Ei Katu group (flower head pieces)
Friends of Oakley Creek
Happy Kids Face-painting
Lilly Jin & Co (Chinese Opera & Te Reo songs)
Lizzie – weavers
LB Chair – Ella Kumar (Bollywood dancing also), Jon Turner and Roseanna Hay
May Road Primary school
Mikey Falesiu (MC)
Minister Michael Woods & Councillor J Fairey Albert-Eden – Puketapapa Ward
Miss India Cosmetics - henna tattoo artist
Nia Vavao and partner (music)
Numa McKenzie (an artist who called in.)
Pare Kore
Piritahi
Pop Up and Play
Roskill Chinese Group – Zhou Smith & Joseph Ngui
Roskill Together
Salvation army (flyer distribution pre-event)
Spinpoi interactive class
Tatau Dance Academy - Sake
Tongan Performance - Leva
Wise Women (vegetarian food)
Xtreme Hip Hop group