Looking for some free fun? It probably doesn’t get more epic than a play at the award-winning CPlay playground at Caroline Bay in Timaru. Opened in December 2023, the playground was championed by a small group of dedicated volunteers and supported by the Timaru District Council, with hundreds of community members giving their time, thoughts, ideas, feedback and donations along the way. Together, they raised over $3 million to create a space that is fun, accessible, challenging and meaningful, designed for people of all ages, sizes and abilities to play together.
When Chris and I first joined the committee, to be really honest, I thought we were buying equipment from a catalogue with a bit of safety surfacing and we'd be done. But after taking time to listen to peoples experience of the old playground and generally the challenges of even being able to play at any public playground, we realised we were going to have to work harder to make sure everyone could play together. At 6ft by the time I was 13, we also wanted to make sure even adults could physically fit and be able to join family and friends in the fun.
We also learned that one of the most powerful forms of play is imaginative play, when children lead the storytelling and adults join in. That is why CPlay’s design draws inspiration from the stories of our local people, history and landscape. Play elements reflect Timaru’s coastal environment, Ngāi Tahu traditions, shipwrecks, sea creatures and other rich layers of local identity. These stories help tamariki understand where they come from, encouraging confidence, resilience and a deeper connection to place.
To help families explore the stories woven into the playground’s design, WuHoo Timaru has created a free A3 guided tour handout. It highlights playful features to look for, local legends that inspired the equipment, and creative prompts to spark storytelling as you play. Download a free hand out and see how many story details you could find.