Bring your questions and provide feedback at meetings and online October 9 to November 9.
Sunday, October 18 : WDC LTP Drop In, Tamahere Community Centre, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday, October 21 : Matangi Community Committee Meeting, Matangi School Staffroom, 7.00 p.m.
Saturday, October 31 : WDC Open Day, Matangi Recreational Reserve, Tauwhare Road, 9.a.m. – 12 noon
Consultation and Planning to date:
A multi-community steering committee representing Ngāti Hauā (Tauwhare Pā), Matangi, Tamahere, and Tauwhare has been working closely with Waikato District Council (WDC) to develop a long-term plan for the Reserve which has been home to the Matangi Hillcrest Rugby Club, and the Matangi-Hillcrest Sports Club, since the late 1960s, and a public space for recreation and community events.
With additional land recently added to the site as a result of subdivision it is timely to see how the whole site can be developed to work to benefit the community.
The work has now reached an important milestone, with the draft Matangi Recreation Reserve Master Plan open for public feedback from 9 October to 9 November 2026.
The proposed development looks to create an integrated outdoor recreation precinct for current and future generations.
Central to the plan are new multi-purpose courts accommodating netball, tennis and pickleball, alongside repositioned rugby grounds, practice areas, provision for lacrosse and cricket, the children’s playground and a community piazza.
A perimeter walking track will connect the wider parklands, opening up more opportunities for recreation, exercise and community gatherings.
A Staged Approach to Development
The first stage will involve levelling and contouring the land, followed by construction of the multi-purpose courts and associated parking facilities.
Further improvements would be introduced progressively as resources and funding become available.
Steering Committee Chairman Lance Rapana says the project represents much more than additional sporting facilities.
“This is about communities working together to create something lasting. We’ve spent more than nine months looking at how this land can best serve our tamariki, families and future generations. Our partnership with Council and the communities along the Tauwhare Road corridor, particularly Ngāti Hauā and Tauwhare Pā, gives this project a strong foundation. We now have an opportunity to build a recreational space that brings people together for generations to come.”
The master plan represents an important step in future-proofing outdoor sporting and recreational facilities across the growing Tamahere-Matangi-Tauwhare corridor.
WDC Reserve Planning Team Lead Matt Horsfield says the reserve plays an important role in supporting the social, physical and mental wellbeing of local residents.
Council is now encouraging the wider community to review the proposals and help shape the final plan.
Have Your Say
Public consultation runs from Friday 9 October until Monday 9 November 2026.
Residents, sporting organisations and community groups are encouraged to review the draft and provide feedback.
View the plan and make a submission:
https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/say-it
View post online here.
