Hinemoa Park play space and improvements

Project summary

What we're doing

We're making changes at Hinemoa Park to enhance this space as a place for recreation, play, rest and other outdoor activities. The park will include a new central city play space, connected pathways, flat grassed areas for rest and play, shady trees, interpretive signage celebrating the rich history of the area, and the Dame Hilda Ross Memorial Fountain. 

Design for the new play space was shaped by community feedback received in July/August 2025 and has been developed in partnership with mana whenua. It is largely inspired by the stories of Hinemoa (the senior wife of chief Wairere) and the values of women through the Te Ao Maaori lens. It also explores the values of Manaakitanga (hospitality and kindness), Aroha (love), Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and Whanaungatanga (relationship, kinship).  

Designed around a central seating area, the play space offers separate junior and senior play areas with climbing ropes and nets, slides, swings and spinners, alongside a basketball half court, skateable features and water play elements. 

Other improvements will be made in the park at same time as the play space construction. These include adding path connections, enhancing existing gardens and trees, installing signage that acknowledges the park’s history and tidying up the Dame Hilda Ross Memorial Fountain, which has Category B heritage significance.  

The fountain will not be made functional as part of the upcoming maintenance, however, will be refreshed to a condition that is safe, attractive, easy to maintain, and enables it to be reactivated in future.   

Work will get underway from 13 July 2026 and is expected to be complete by the end of December. 

Why we’re doing it

Hinemoa Park sits in the wider West Town Belt project – a large 54-hectare site in the centre of Hamilton, which is an important public green belt contributing to the city’s open space needs.

The work at Hinemoa Park will provide new and improved community amenities for play and recreation in the central city.