Williams Park / Days Bay beach

Williams Park redevelopment

Hutt City Council Parks & Reserves are embarking on a revitalisation of the landscape of Williams Park - located in Days Bay, Eastbourne.

After community consultation was conducted in December 2020 (through to September 2021), it was determined that there was an opportunity to transform the park into an inviting and enjoyable environment that fosters community engagement, leisure, and recreational activities.

PCL Contracting has been appointed to deliver the redevelopment of Williams Park. Full site works will commence on Monday 26 February.

This redevelopment will improve pedestrian safety within the park boundaries and provide the community with a safe and attractive space to gather, relax and participate in various activities. An exciting addition will be a safe and accessible pathway for the duck pond, so that children can view the bird life in their habitat.

During the redevelopment project, access to the parking lot between the duck pond and lawn will be closed until work completion in late May. This is to ensure that the public are safe during construction activity. Limited parking will be available behind The Pavilion Café and access to the Menzshed will remain open from Kereru Road.

View the illustration below for an overview of what to expect from the redevelopment.

Within the new barbeque area is the inclusion of concrete pavers that reflect the geographical area of Days Bay in the form of a tāniko.

The Williams Park tāniko is made up of three tohu or elements that describe and represent historical touch points of the area. Each tohu has its own identity and form as seen below:

Pātiki

The Pātiki is a tohu which symbolises flounder and reflects abundance. It is made up of four diamonds in the form of a flounder and demonstrates that this place was once a mahinga kai. The usage is appropriate in this context as it relates back to the floundering which took place in this area up until the early 1980’s.

Niho Taniwha

The Niho Taniwha is a tohu for whakapapa (genealogical ties) as well as referencing mounga (mountain). In particular, the ridge line to the north is part of Pukeatua which is a mounga long used in pepeha by Mana Whenua.

Kaokao

The Kaokao is another tohu which refers to whakapapa and, in this context, it refers to Mana Whenua and the generations of people who stem from this area. The Kaokao is made up of a multi layered chevron pattern, with each line representing the lineage of an era.

Kaokao is also a tohu for protection. This is represented in the ridge line to the north and the area of Days Bay. In its day, this tohu reflects how this was a prime location for scouting incoming threats.

Collectively these tohu make up the tāniko that represents the geographical area of Ōruamātoro Days Bay, the abundance of kai that sustained the generations before and acknowledges the natural surroundings which are flanked by the ranges to the North and harbour to the south.