A new accessible shelter at Gordon Spratt Reserve is “open for all to enjoy” after the ribbon was cut on the 2.5 year project.

When the project started, only two Papamoa playgrounds had sunshades, leaving 19 playgrounds that did not, Papamoa Rotary Club project manager Christa George said.

“The project managed by the Rotary Club raised around $16,000 in cash, goods, and in-kind donations of time and expertise.”

In partnership with Tauranga City Council and a small group of concerned Pāpāmoa parents, the Rotary Club of Pāpāmoa have provided an accessible shelter at Gordon Spratt Reserve alongside the playground.

Construction of the sun shelter at Gordon Spratt Reserve was completed on January 24, 2025.

The equipment can be unusable as the slides and swings are too hot to touch, and the playgrounds offer no shade, George said.

“This project started because every summer in Pāpāmoa, parents are extremely frustrated by the lack of shade at our local playgrounds.”

Thanks to Rotary’s advocacy, many playgrounds now incorporate sunshades or shelters in their initial plans, George said.

Tauranga City Council agreed to install a wheelchair-accessible seating shelter to protect families from sun and rain and to serve as a gathering place for playground and reserve users.

A well-designed shade can reduce the UV exposure of people using playgrounds by more than 75%, Dr Bronwen McNoe (Cancer Society Research Collaboration at Otago University) said.

Skin cancer is New Zealand’s most common cancer - more than 90% of skin cancers are caused by over-exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which is primarily the sun.

George is hopeful this community partnership model, with local community project initiation and fundraising input, could be duplicated elsewhere enhance residents’ wellbeing.

Tauranga City Council has agreed to install two accessible picnic table sets under the new shelter, according to a statement.