Te Ara O Wairakei Stormwater Reserve, like many other water courses in the country, has a history of channelisation and misunderstanding of function. These areas are important to rehabilitate and celebrate by improving natural habitats for native species, and through providing opportunities for positive human interaction.

The concept incorporated five key design components, namely: stormwater functioning, ecological features and habitat restoration, enhancement of recreational opportunities, and improvement of mana whenua and local amenity values.

A key aspect was the long term and meaningful engagement with mana whenua and the local communities. Each community associated with the five different sections of the reserve were consulted with separately. This was to ensure that the design responded to the different site conditions for each section, and the community’s perceptions of the reserve’s positive qualities; and addressing specific concerns regarding reserve management.

The project involved the preparation of a guiding concept plan and vision statement, engagement media and expertise, detailed design for each of the five major reserve sections, resource consent applications and archaeological authorities for the proposed works required to implement the design.

Mana whenua became project partners in the design process throughout the project duration. This ensured that meaningful cultural value outcomes were achieved with habitat restoration, cultural recognition and interpretation threaded throughout the site.

The project has since been implemented successfully with Boffa Miskell playing key role in the supervising the implementation between 2018 - 2021. During this time, there have been 8.5 hectares of new wetland and lowland shrubland planting created, using over 300,000 plants (6,000 planted by the community), 10km of new shared pathways installed, with wayfinding and interpretation signs along the network.