I walk my dog through Centennial Park often, and every visit reminds me what a special place this is for the Wellsford Community and beyond. Now, with the rebuild underway, the park is stepping into an exciting new era not just as a green space, but as Wellsford’s sporting and community hub.

Centennial Park already offers something for everyone. On any given day, you might see:

• Netball played on the courts.
• Athletics training sessions and community meets.
• Rugby and football on the fields.
• And in the park’s gym facility, locals working out year-round to stay fit.

Together, these facilities make Centennial Park a one-stop hub for health, fitness, and fun catering to all ages and abilities.

This transformation has been years in planning. A needs assessment in 2020 confirmed what many of us who use the park already knew the facilities were tired and in need of renewal. By 2023, the Rodney Local Board had signed off on a masterplan that will guide improvements for the next decade. The Wellsford Rugby Club and Wellsford Community Gym are also located at the park.

The plan includes upgraded sports courts, better parking, safer access, playground improvements, and even the potential for a future multi-use community facility.

Local company Wharehine Construction is leading the project management. Many will remember their recent work on the Rodney Street footbridge, which opened earlier this year.

The bridge has already changed the way people can safely reach the park, eliminating the risky crossings over State Highway 1 and providing a landscaped pedestrian link straight into the grounds.

There where challenges along the way the footbridge project grew from an early $1.4 million estimate to around $3.9 million by the time it was delivered but the results speak for themselves. Importantly, Wharehine brought it in under the revised budget, and with a finish that feels worth the wait.

For sports teams, families, dog walkers and visitors alike, Centennial Park is set to become more than just a green space it will be Wellsford’s community hub for decades to come.

And for those people who visit it several times a week, the privilege is ours: we get to watch this transformation unfold.