Rongomai Park Planting
Citycare Property, in conjunction with Auckland City Council, recently completed a 450-metre section of concrete footpath at Rongomai Park in the Auckland suburb of Flat Bush.
The footpath was the continuation of a larger project, designed to improve accessibility in and around the park, says Citycare Property Project Manager, Sumeet Prasad.
Citycare Property – delivering better spaces to live, work and play
“Citycare Property’s Minor Capital Works Team managed and self-delivered this project from start to finish to enable year-round access through the reserve, which features a natural gully topography, making it a very wet site, especially during the winter season.”
This satellite image of Rongomai Park shows the completed 450-metre concrete footpath, linking access from Belinda Ave and Rongomai Road and providing users with year-round accessibility.
The project also included a planting scheme of more than 2150 native plants — supplied by Auckland City Council — on both sides of the path.
As part of the Council’s community involvement initiative, Citycare Property’s Account Manager – Project Management, Nellie Burwell, reached out to local schools asking them to participate in the planting. This was intended as a way of not only educating students about the importance of diversity within their environment, but to also have them engage with the project and to take pride in their contribution to beautifying their community.
Working with the community
On Thursday, 12 May, members of the Citycare Property Horticulture and Health & Safety teams partnered with students from two local-area schools — East Tamaki Primary and Tangaroa College — to undertake the planting, and to support, educate and also to ensure all kids were kept safe.
Around 50 East Tamaki Primary and 70 Tangaroa College students, along with their teachers and volunteers, took part in the planting of the 2157 natives.
Students from East Tamaki Primary School get stuck in to planting some of the 2157 native plants provided by Auckland City Council for the project.
“The day began at 11am with the kids from East Tamaki Primary School,” says Nellie. “They were on fire and would’ve planted the entire area if we hadn’t have stopped them to take a lunch break. The Tangaroa College students came through at 1.30pm and completed the planting. We can’t thank the schools enough and they have asked to be involved in future planting projects at Rongomai Park.”
Citycare Property supplied sandwiches, cookies, fruit and water for all the volunteers and this was greatly received as all the tamariki had built up an appetite.
Members of the Citycare Property Horticulture and Health & Safety teams undertake a safety briefing before the planting session begins.
“This is a great thing Citycare Property is doing, engaging with children from local schools by planting in their local area,” says Otara/Papatoetoe Local Board Deputy Chair, Dawn Trenbath, who was also present on the day.