Hamilton’s newest sports park in the Rototuna village will be called Korikori Park.

Te Haa o te Whenua o Kirikiriroa (THaWK) representatives Rawiri Bidois, Sonny Karena and Piripi Matika presented to the Hamilton City Council today and provided the following korero for the name:

‘Korikori’ means ‘wriggle’. This refers to the wriggling of the tuna (eels) of this area, which was previously a lake, swamp and wetlands.

Korikori also refers to the way people play and move over the space.

Korikori Park was completed last month and is already proving popular with a number of sporting groups, local schools and the wider Rototuna community. It includes five full sized football fields (including one full sand carpet), two cricket ovals, walking paths and fitness equipment.

Stage three of the park development begins this month and includes the construction of the changing rooms, public toilets and a groundsman shed. This work is expected to be completed in mid-2020.

Following the Council formally adopting the name, work will begin on planning an official opening day. It is anticipated that competitive sports will be played at the park following the official opening.

Dame Hilda Ross public art proposal

A bronze sculpture by artist Matt Gauldie commemorating Dame Hilda Ross was approved today, pending sign off from Council staff.

The Theatre of the Impossible Charitable Trust (TOTI) had previously proposed an art work to be located on the corner of Worley Place and Ward Lane, which was supported by the Council, but a number of logistical factors had made the design and site unfeasible.

Council staff will consult with iwi, hapu and other key stakeholders about the exact location of the proposed sculpture before a date for installation is announced.

In the new year, the Growth and Infrastructure Operations Committee will reconsider a proposal to rename the section of Ward Street, between Victoria Street and Worley Place, Hilda Ross Place.

Among many other achievements, Dame Hilda Ross was a New Zealand politician and activist and was Deputy Mayor of the Hamilton Borough Council in 1945.

Waikato Sub-Regional 3 Waters project

The Council approved a one-third contribution (approximately $250,000) to complete Phase 2 of Waikato Sub-Regional 3 Waters project.

This project is an Iwi, Local Government and Central Government collaboration to improve three waters (water, wastewater and stormwater) infrastructure delivery and management in the Waikato Sub-region (defined as the Waikato/Waipa River catchments from Te Awamutu/ Karapiro to Port Waikato).

The project will deliver a long term (100 year+) three waters investment strategy identifying implementation programmes, projects and actions to contribute to restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River, unlock the economic potential of the Waikato Corridor and improve three waters service delivery across the sub-region.

Today’s Council meeting was the last for 2019. The Council will meet again on 4 February 2020.

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