Panmure Basin recreation area

Auckland City and the Tamaki Community Board are looking at the future enhancement of the Panmure Basin area. The project looks at developing the area as a focal point for the community where a range of recreational opportunities are provided, from organised sports recreation through to walking and relaxing.

Panmure Basin is located to the south of Panmure town centre in the east of Auckland city. It is predominantly surrounded by residential properties. The Panmure Basin is unique in that it has an expansive feel as an open space with a relatively small amount of reserve land. The basin itself, covering over 51 hectares, is a shallow oval shaped tidal inlet, with a narrow entrance from the middle reaches of the Tamaki Estuary. The reserves around the perimeter of the basin, covering nine hectares, include:

Panmure Domain - the site of the Lagoon Leisure and Fitness Centre and Lagoon Stadium
Panmure Basin Foreshore Reserve
Peterson Road Reserve
Esplanade Reserves below Marine Parade, St Joan's Hospital and Watene Road.

Auckland City's Recreation Precinct Strategy (1999) identifies Panmure Basin as a 'recreation area'. A recreation area is an area to be developed as a focal point for the local community, offering a wide variety of recreational activities for a diverse range of people.

A design for the future development and enhancement of the Panmure Basin and surrounding park has been developed following community consultation. In response to feedback, the top priorities are improving Peterson Reserve and maintaining and enhancing the natural beauty of the area, especially the shag colony.

The plan includes

interpretive signage and artworks that tell of the area's Maori history
a new skateboarding park (installation complete)
improved car parking
better paths leading to and around the basin
planting
landscaping
seating and
a new children's play area on an altered site.

This plan will be implemented over a 5 to 10 year period as funding comes available through the community board and other sources. In the short term, additional seating will be located around the basin