Christchurch City Council is responsible for 400-plus play spaces across the city. These spaces include: playgrounds, outdoor fitness equipment, ball courts, green spaces, skate and scooter parks, bicycle skill areas, water play areas, and natural areas.

We want our community to have access to diverse play experiences that encourage creativity, curiosity, and well-being.

Our play spaces vision

Our play spaces ignite joy, foster learning and development, and cultivate wellbeing

Our play spaces are vibrant hubs of inclusivity and physical activity, sparking curiosity and fostering connections among people of all ages and abilities. They bring people together to explore, discover, and play in safe, welcoming, and stimulating settings.

Planning a play space

These are the main considerations we must take into account when planning a play space

When working on a play space we also want to understand how a community is currently using it, what they might like to see developed there in the future and how this play space will fit into our wider network.

Gathering community feedback is a really important part of this process. Find out which play spaces are being currently planned for development and tell us what you think of our plans by clicking on the pins in the map below.

Three levels of play spaces

  • Local play spaces

    Local play spaces are usually within a 500-meter walk in in city residential neighborhoods. These smaller play spaces are easy for people to visit for a short time and connect with their neighbours.

  • Community play spaces

    Community play spaces are usually found next to sports fields and community centres. They have a range of equipment for different age groups and abilities and attract people from outside the immediate neighbourhood.

  • Destination play spaces

    Destination play spaces offer unique experiences that draw visitors from across the city. People usually spend more time, enjoying a full day of activities and the surrounding environment. Accessibility and inclusivity play features are key aspects of these spaces.

Play spaces in Ōtautahi Christchurch