23 May 2013

Winning playground inspired by Margaret Mahy

8:34 pm on 23 May 2013

A playground inspired by New Zealand author Margaret Mahy will be built in Christchurch's new inner-city.

More than 6000 children took part in the Amazing Place Playground Competition and judges had almost 300 individual entries to choose from.

Year 6 students from Selwyn House School submitted the winning design, based on Mahy's books. The playground will be named after the 76-year-old who died in Christchurch in July last year.

It will be part of the city's green belt, an anchor project of the rebuilding that will create a continuous green space running along the Avon River from the city to the sea.

Selwyn House student Harriet Compton-Moen says the design includes a castle inspired by Maddigan's Fantasia and a paddling pool derived from Kaitangata Twitch and a bus for "little kids".

The Christchurch City Council is expected to partially fund the Margaret Mahy Memorial Playground, set to open at the start of 2015, but will not reveal the cost.