Starting off my walking series with a park that is a destination and a place I pass through to go further afield to visit family and friends. The route towards Kulim Park sees me walking down the hill towards and under a busy by-pass and a few traffic lights until I venture from one peninsula to another via the Chapel Street bridge. With a turn to my right and heading along the well-maintained pathways, I love the harbourside’s uninterrupted views across the harbour to [Rangiwaea, Matakana Island Mauao] and finally to Kulim Park, which is within the suburb of Otumoetai.
Tauranga means “sheltered waters” in Maori.
On arrival, I love viewing the well established Pohutukawa trees that run alongside the small sandy beach, an oasis during hot summer afternoons.
To the left are barbecues and playgrounds within a grassed area, basics in which to create a memorable day as this park is well known for being a favourite place to organise events with family and friends, which was initially why a local family donated this piece of land. I have yet to be here alone during daylight hours, no matter what time I walk or cycle through the park.
An Adult Playground
Why should parks be just for children?
The Seniors United organised the Kulim Park gym idea to Promote the Age-Friendly New Zealand organisation.
With the generation of sex, drugs and rock n roll coming into their own, I’m hoping that this concept will not stop with just one small adult playground in Kulim Park. My hope lies with a Christchurch woman who’s campaigning for the Christchurch council to build a purpose-built big person’s playground. One good point she does mention it will reduce the number of accidents from big people using small people’s equipment. Hopefully, it takes off here in New Zealand, and we big kids get to enjoy playgrounds throughout New Zealand. In the meantime, locals and visitors can enjoy igniting your fitness frenzy by using this outdoor gym surrounded by one of the city’s most beautiful and popular outdoor harbourside venues, a fun way to chat with people when out and about.
Do you have one near you?
A Snippet of History
Kulim Park was established in 1950 when the Bureta farm was subdivided to make room for residential housing. The owners of the farm, W.I. Rushton and the brothers George and John Sickling, decided to gift one hectare as a recreational space for children.
Connecting with Jo, whose walks are always a delight to read – Jo’s Monday Walks
Life at No. 22 
Ooh! I love the idea of big kids’ playgrounds, though I hope they aren’t as anodyne as new play equipment for kids! The council here seems to be constantly replacing playground equipment with more and more tame stuff, and while I understand that it has a duty to protect children, I worry that it’s “too safe” and they simply aren’t learning to take risks.
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Su, I hope the idea of adult playgrounds do take off, it’s a fun idea. Oh, I could go on about the overly safe environment we have set up for children. Being a ex-kindy teacher! It is preferrable for children to learn how to deal with risky behaviour in a playground environment than behind the wheel of a car.
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Hehe. I suspected we’d be on the same page with this one Suzanne. I don’t have the professional background, but have raised an incredibly active son and watched the difference in confidence and motor skills between the kids who were allowed/encouraged to explore and take risks — and those who weren’t. It is so, so sad.
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Fabulous! Thanks so much, Suzanne 🙂 🙂 What a gift of a view that is to have on your doorstep. So beautiful! We don’t have adult playgrounds as such but there are a lot of benches with pedals attached so you aren’t ‘too idle’, and various ‘wobbly things’. No, I’m not talking about the adults 🙂
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Yes, it is a gift and only a couple of kilometres down the road. A safe area to cycle and walk which can lead to further places which I will share at a later stage. You made me laugh regarding the wobbly bits 🙂 . I saw many outdoor exercising places in Portugal.
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I love to put a smile or two in the day. 🙂 🙂
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You do it so well, Jo 🙂 Life is so much easier when we try to keep positive and those days we don’t walking in the fresh air and nature helps no end!
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Thank you! 🙂 It’s true though. I was out walking in dismal weather, for the Algarve, late this afternoon. I didn’t really want to be there but a living alone friend needed company and once I was out there- what’s not to like?
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I love your adult playground. We have some but they are quite serious affairs with fitness equipment more of an outdoor gym
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A lovely park to have (almost) on your doorstep.
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Not far from our front door step, around 2kms away. No time at all when you’re on a bike, a bit longer by foot. We have a few green spots around to enjoy.
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So do we, and it makes all the difference in these trying times.
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It does Anabel. Not sure I would stay sane if I didn’t use up my excess energy! Though the state of my sanity is up for debate some days 😉
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Hi, Suzanne – I loved this (virtual) walk and your stunning photos. The black and white one was my personal favourite (although very, very hard to choose).
Thank you for sharing this with us.
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What a glorious place to have on your doorstep. Your photographs show it off so well and I love the one with the blue reflection. I’m slightly envious of the Adult Playground but not sure if I would take advantage of it if it were in one of my parks. I’m a bit averse to exercising (despite needing to) except walking, but the idea of having it for those who want to exercise outdoors is an idea some local parks could embrace.
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A playground for adults, what a great idea. We have some exercise bars in the park near us, but they’re for the very fit (and tall) and not really a playground. Yours looks quite fun.
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I hope the adult playground takes off, though funnily enough, I have seen more children on the one at Kulim Park than adults. Perhaps we are too bashful here in Tauranga!
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Love the playground idea. I agree we’re becoming so protective of our kids these days. I see parents hovering over them in case they hurt themselves. A school teacher once told me if you break you arm, it’s a sign your parents love you. 🙂 I think this was when a new playground went into the school I was working at and 3 kids broke their wrists or arms in the first month. Lots of love there.:-)
Speaking of which, I love the picture of the guys enjoying each others company at the park. They bring the park to life.
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We don’t have any parks close by, but we live in a rural space, so it’s got nice views. I’d love an adult playground! I still enjoy swings and merry go rounds, and even monkey bars.
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Nothing quite beats being a big kid as who really wants to grow up? 😉
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Those views of Mauao are beautiful 🙂 Our local park has a small cluster of gym equipment (and it’s been getting more common to see that sort of provision over here), but it isn’t labelled like that, it’s just on the open grass for anyone to use.
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I’m quite familiar with your parks and I do miss wandering around them. Mauao certainly has a strong presence here in Tauranga and a scenic part of our city to walk around at any time of the year.
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Being a lover of indoor ‘proper’ gyms I could never understand the concept of outdoor ones when they don’t have weights attached – seems a bit pointless to me. I like the view in the last two pics though, i could quite happily park my campervan there for a while 🙂
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Eunice, I am sure you would love quite a few camping spots here in NZ.
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