Marlow Park - Destination playground upgrade

Dunedin City Council (DCC) is developing a new detailed design for Marlow Park playground in St Kilda following strong public feedback calling for a large‑scale, inclusive playground.

The detailed design is subject to input from elected members, mana whenua, specialist contractors and community user groups. DCC conducted two rounds of public consultation in 2022 and 2023.

The total budget for Marlow Park is $4.6 million (including $200,000 for detailed design), allocated in January 2025 as part of the 9 Year Plan 2025-2034.

On Tuesday June 2, we held an open workshop at which the developed design was presented to Councillors to seek their feedback.

The workshop covered the following key areas:

Exciting new features

One of the most striking proposed additions to Marlow Park is a large bespoke whale and waka play structure, which would replace the existing whale.

Serving as the centrepiece of the park, the structure offers climbing, sliding, shaded play areas and multiple interactive features. This whale will occupy a central position and is expected to become one of the iconic features of the playground, as well as enable more people to enjoy playing on it at the same time.

There are currently two options being considered for the dinosaur slide. One is to upgrade and incorporate it within a new setting, including a “prehistoric forest” of towers and nature-inspired elements; the other is to replace it with a new dinosaur slide or dinosaur-themed apparatus. This could also be integrated with new towers and design elements suggestive of prehistoric Aotearoa fauna such as moa, pouākai (Haast's eagle) and tuatara.

Other ageing play equipment, including the boot and serpent, are proposed to be replaced with a range of new pieces. See main graphic for a breakdown of zones and play equipment.

Play for all ages

The proposed redesign divides the park into “motu” – islands of activity – with dedicated areas for toddlers, older children, teens and families. Features include:

• New pump track
• Expanded street‑style skate area
• Purpose‑built parkour zone
• Nature play using rocks and storm‑felled logs
• Water play through above‑ground station features

More accessible and inclusive

For the first time, Marlow Park will include accessible play equipment as well as sensory spaces and calmer areas for children who need a quieter experience. Upgraded paths, toilets and seating will support greater accessibility for all users.

Inspired by Ōtepoti’s stories

The current developed design brings together the whakapapa of the area, Māori and Polynesian navigation stories, and the rich coastal ecology that has shaped the site for centuries. These narratives will come to life through colour, play structures, art, planting and landscape features woven throughout the playground.

Themes include:

• Maui and Pacific navigation
• The story of Paikea and the whale
• Prehistoric Aotearoa and the southern landscape

Comfort, safety and facilities

Visitors can look forward to:

• A new central entrance and improved fencing
• Expanded shade and shelter
• More picnic tables, BBQs, bins, drinking fountains and bike parking
• An upgraded toilet block, subject to Councillors’ approval

To improve safety, the DCC will also consult on lowering the speed limit outside the park on John Wilson Ocean Drive

Sustainability

The redesign emphasises sustainability, including the reuse of logs from the 2025 windstorm, the reduction of synthetic surfacing, native planting, and lower‑carbon construction methods where possible.

Developed design

The detailed design is inspired by navigation stories, and the rich coastal ecology that has shaped the site for centuries. These narratives will come to life through colour, play structures, art, planting and landscape features woven throughout the playground.

A key goal is to make the playground as accessible as possible to the community. To balance the demands of users, it is proposed to divide the park into a range of activity zones.

NOTE: all elements of the detailed design are subject to approval from Council.

1: Entrance zone

Entrance plaza to provide meeting space and strong cultural narrative, including:

• Signs, drinking fountain and bike stands
• Plaza has raised edges with seating

Shade structures positioned high to draw attention to the entrance.

2: Sand zone

An area of sand-based play equipment, which could include:

• Island platform
• Accessible sand diggers
• Shade element that partially covers platform and sand area

Equipment includes:

• Timber structure with sand cranes, sand bucket and sand table
• Sand play module including net and slide.

3: Water zone

Water play elements that enable people to play with water, rather than in the water. Equipment could include:

• Inclusive water pump winder
• Inclusive water play module with tiered channels.

4: Gathering / Food zone

Open space for people to gather, including for informal and formal events. Includes:

• Level, hard stand area for food stalls and food trucks.

5: Picnic area

Grass area for picnicking, including:

• Covered barbeque area
• Accessible facilities
• Picnic tables.

6: Grass Play zone

Grass ground treatment, which could include equipment such as:

• Volleyball net
• Picnic tables as space allows
• Tunnels in raised mound
• Hammock
• 4-seater timber seesaw
• Net seesaw
• Natural play equipment, such as an activity trail, steppers, climbing posts, stilts, tight rope walk and balance beams.

7: Slide zone

Slides incorporated into existing raised area, with a central "launching pad" that is accessible and includes shade structures. A variety of slides of different lengths, potentially including:

• Wide metal embankment slide (orientate away from sun/north, with shade covering)
• Embankment tube slide
• Tube slides with various path alignments, e.g. curved, straight, wiggly
• Double slide
• Slide with individual launch platform

8: Dinosaur / Tower zone

Two options are being considered for this area.

One is to retain the dinosaur slide but surround it in a “forest” of towers. Some upgrades will be made to ensure the slide meets modern safety standards and remediation works will need to be undertaken.

A second option is to replace the existing slide with a new dinosaur slide or dinosaur-themed apparatus. This could also be integrated with new towers and design elements suggestive of prehistoric Aotearoa fauna such as moa, pouākai (Haast's eagle) and tuatara.

Other equipment could include:

• Large climbing net connected to a series of tall towers interconnected with enclosed nets, and slides
• Inclusive elements at ground level, such as interactive play panels and musical elements, e.g. chime
• Pivot seesaw in the form of a waka
• 2-bay mega swing
• Social swing
• Flying carpet swing
• Play module

9: Climbing zone

Connects to main tower structure in Dinosaur/Tower Zone. Area could include:

• Circular rope climbing structure, with multiple nets and a central trampoline
• 4-person spinning carousel with suspended seats
• Play module with slide, monorail and swing bridge

10: Pump Track area

Includes a new pump track.

11: Parkour zone

Parkour equipment suitable for both adults and children.

12: Skate zone

Main access via "wheels path", a shared accessible path formed for skateboarders and bikers, but intended to be a "share with care" path for all users. Area could include:

• Skate elements and skate ramp
• Lower-challenge obstacles on the southern side of the “wheels path”

Note: Adjacent to skate zone is a half basketball court and hard court with painted concrete games.

13: Swing zone

Mixed-use area with a main focus on swings. Equipment could include:

• 6-bay swing with 1 infant swing, 1 adult and child shared swing, inclusive swing, inclusive basket chair, 2 duo swing seats
• 6-bay swing with inclusive basket swing, 2 standard swings and 2 toddler swings
• Inclusive trampoline
• Pi trampoline
• Marine mammal shaped rocker
• Single person spinner
• Multi-person spinner
• Inclusive seesaw
• Inclusive carousel
• Seesaw
• Balancing equipment/board

14: Bespoke zone

Bespoke play elements in the form of a whale and waka. Area could include:

• New whale play structure
• Waka play structure
• Soft fall ground treatment
• Retained existing pōhutakawa tree
• Talking tubes

Musical instruments, e.g. penta post, bongos, cavatina and sambas

Next steps

Councillors will provide feedback on the design – after which a final detailed plan will be developed with input from elected members, mana whenua, specialist contractors and community user groups. DCC will then tender for a lead contractor for the project.

The final plan for Marlow Park is expected to be completed later this year, after which construction work would begin. Currently, work is expected to be completed in 2027

The story so far

In 2022, the DCC consulted with the community about whether to invest in Destination Playgrounds at Marlow Park, Woodhaugh Gardens and Mosgiel Memorial Gardens.

In 2023, the DCC engaged a consultant to develop concept designs. We then sought feedback on our initial concepts for all three parks at a cost of $6.6m. Feedback was positive, but included a desire for more accessible play equipment, better use of topography such as slides down slopes, more areas for social gathering, as well as areas that offered protection from the elements.

In 2024 we redeveloped our initial concept designs to include this feedback. As part of the 9 Year Plan 2025-2034, Council voted to include $11.22 million to cover the costs of developing all three Destination Playgrounds

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