A proposal to help make Invercargill and Bluff more family-friendly is one of the key issues in Invercargill City Council’s Draft Annual Plan 2025/2026.

Public consultation on the plan opened on March 13 – and now, Council is calling for people to share their views on the future of urban play in the city.

Community Wellbeing and Regulatory Committee chair, Councillor Darren Ludlow, said urban play opportunities directly delivered on Council’s City Centre Master Plan’s vision of creating a vibrant, family-friendly city.

“The overarching focus of the work we do at Council is to ensure that our strategic direction – and therefore, the services and projects we invest in – grows a thriving community,” he said.

“One of the resounding messages that has come back from our community over the years is around the importance of building a community that makes Invercargill a great place to live, work, and play, particularly for families.”

Initially, Council had allocated a budget of $4.956 million towards Urban Play in the 2024-2034 Long-term Plan, with plans to create a    playground in the city centre.

However, during the development of the Draft Annual Plan 2025/2026, Councillors agreed its preferred option was to provide a distributed programme, which would instead see urban play opportunities spread throughout the city centre, North Invercargill, South Invercargill, and Bluff.

“Taking this approach would give Council the opportunity prioritise investment in quality play opportunities that meet our community’s needs right across the city and Bluff,” he said.

Other options being consulted on are to proceed with the original plan – delivering a contemporary, centrepiece playground within the city centre – or to halt investment in Urban Play.

“Public consultation on things like our draft annual plan is incredibly important in shaping the city our community wants. This isn’t just about the work we are doing within the next financial year – it’s about envisaging the Invercargill we want our children and grandchildren to call home,” Ludlow said.

“We know that the economic climate is challenging for our community. That’s why it’s imperative people tell us what services and projects they want Council to invest in. We are really keen for the community to have their say, and tell us what they see as priorities for our city.”

For more information about the Draft Annual Plan, to view supporting information and documents, or to make a submission, click here.

Supporting information and documents, as well as submission forms, were also available at Te Hīnaki Civic Building, Invercargill City Libraries and Archives, Murihiku Marae, and the Bluff Service Centre.

Consultation will close on 13 April. Hearings will take place throughout April, with Council’s elected members set to deliberate on the draft plan in May. The Annual Plan 2025/2026 will then go up for adoption in June.