Decade of dedication sees MAZ vision almost complete

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BY JULIA WADE

 

10 Apr, 2023

 

After a decade of dedicated service inspiring and facilitating a vision of an adventure zone for kids of all ages, a long-serving leader is stepping off the playground.

 

Instrumental in raising millions in funds for Mangawhai Activity Zone [MAZ] since 2013, chair Colin Gallagher has handed the reins to a local woman with years of committee experience, Kate Arbuckle. As well as being involved for 12 months with MAZ, the former real estate agent was also a member of Kristen College’s committee and served times as chair of Torbay School’s Board of Trustees throughout her children’s school years.

Recently retired after working in both the East Coast Bays property market as well as seven years in Mangawhai’s local industry, Kate says she just wanted to get involved to give something back to the community.

“In particular to the young families who I've sold houses to as most of them have moved into the area and I know that when I first moved up to Mangawhai I used to pass it every day and just admire it and think what a great park,” she says.

“It’s a real go-to place, for whole families, not just kids, it's the birthday parties, the get-togethers and the barbecue areas and one of the things that struck me when I first started with MAZ, a Sunday morning Dad’s group… most parks you get a little bit of everything but this park just covers everything, and it’s for all walks of the community.”

Conceived in 2007, MAZ’s first team leader was Alex Tidyman, and when the park became a legal identity a year later in August 2008, Simon Bennett took over as Mangawhai Activity Zone Charitable Trust’s first chair, followed by Colin in 2013, with his wife Jenny also serving as a committee member, a role she held for five years.

After devoting the last ten years to helping inspire and achieve the vision of the park, and becoming a formidable fundraiser in the process, Colin now says it is time to retire, mainly for family reasons.

“It's been a very satisfying journey and I'm very happy that the team taking over is highly-competent and led by Kate, they're in good hands, that's important,” he says. “The park started because we listened to the kids… and we’re still listening to them.”

Prior to 2007, the idea of a Mangawhai skate park was born after parents and locals became concerned about children getting into trouble while skating along Seabreeze Drive and through the shopping centres, ‘and the kids said quite rightly they had nowhere else to skate’ Colin says.

Working with Kaipara District Council [KDC] to secure land and initial funding, MAZ became a labour of love for many volunteers who dedicated time clearing, developing and contouring the site ‘with big credit to Dave Smith for his massive machine which carved out the foundation,’ as well as organising fundraisers such as raffles and selling off firewood. Professionals were also contracted to design the shape of MAZ including Soul Environments, RICH Landscapes, and the first two skate bowls including the deep plunge bowl constructed in 2010 by Premium Skate Designs, owned by internationally-recognised kiwi skater Jason Parkes, ‘who probably builds the best skate parks in the country’.

From humble beginnings MAZ is now an all-inclusive recreation park offering a diverse range of free-to-use playgrounds, fields and courts suitable for various ages and different sports including skating, scootering, biking, football, basketball and tennis as well as social areas for picnics and barbeques, and a venue for concerts and events such as the annual Christmas parade and concert.

After raising over $3.5 million involving multiple sponsors including the Mangawhai Endowment Lands Account, and Reserve Contribution Funding from KDC ‘who have been a positive support’, with tens of thousands of hours given generously by volunteers, Colin says the park is also near completion.

“We’ve got half the street plaza to do and the flow bowls will be done shortly and then only need another $200,000 and the whole park will be finished. I'm very proud we’ve raised so much money because it's taken a lot of effort, and since the beginning many people have given their labour for free, with 28,000 hours recorded in the last eight years,” he says.

“To see the park completed has driven me for years and years and we're nearly there. It has been fantastic and a pleasure to see the kids use it.”

Currently eight people sit on the MAZ committee including the return of founding member and former chair, Simon Bennett. While the whole committee takes responsibility for health and safety with numerous people helping out with general maintenance, each member holds a specialised role: David Glover as treasurer; Arrna Alexander as secretary; ‘top skater’ Daniel Hawes looks after social media, communications and security; John Phillis and Hannah Townsend organise special projects such as MAZ’s annual Santa parade and Christmas concert with John also assisting with funding; and ‘band-aids to coffee’ man Ken Rayward, who owns and runs the funky MAZ Cafe and is often on site to offer first-aid to scraped knees as well as helping out with maintenance.

Ken also gives ice blocks to kids who help keep the park clean and pick up rubbish which is Mangawhai’s community spirit shining through, Kate says.

“Going forward I recognise that we've got a wonderful team here within the committee and I’m looking forward to working with them all and keeping up the good work in recognition of Colin and all the people who have been involved in building MAZ,” she says. “It will be a hard act to follow, but I'm up for it – Colin's left a good team for me to lead.”

 

“The park started because we listened to the kids… and we’re still listening to them.”

- Colin Gallagher

1:

Mangawhai Activity Zone’s brand-new equipment is for the young, and the young-at-heart, including MAZ’s new Chair Kate Arbuckle (in pink) committee members John Phillis (back), Ken Rayward (front) and retiring MAZ chair, Colin Gallagher. PHOTO/JULIA WADE

 

 

2:

Ken, Kate, Colin and ‘angel’ John in front of the old barn which is a remaining relic of the park’s former farm life, reconstructed for use thanks to ongoing fundraising. John says Colin’s ten year run as MAZ Chair ‘has been an amazing track record, an incredible contribution.’ PHOTO/JULIA WADE