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Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park: Powered by Hummingbird

Regular visitors to Brooker Ave in Christchurch’s Red Zone will have noticed some changes recently, with the establishment of the Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park.

Nestled within restoration plantings in the Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park, this new accessible sensory nature space was made possible thanks to a partnership between Hummingbird Coffee Roasters, The Green Lab and the Christchurch City Council. These two businesses have gone above and beyond when it comes to Christchurch’s regeneration post-earthquakes.

This latest collaboration saw Hummingbird donate $60,000 to The Green Lab, who, as environmental green space experts, have worked their magic on what was once a deserted residential playground site. They have thoughtfully revived and designed a nature haven that focuses on sustainability, accessibility and biodiversity.

Words by: Julia Rutherford

Photos by: Nancy Zhou

Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park isn’t your typical playground with primary-coloured play structures and swings. The design intentionally embraces the materials, textures, sounds, and smells that nature provides. Council play advocate Louise Van Tongeren explains that this “...inspire(s) children to head off and explore, without being overly prescriptive about what to actually do.” There are different zones in the park suited to different types of play, encouraging children to use their senses and develop their imagination and creativity.

Sustainability has been top of mind in the design. Recycled soft plastics are used to make the fences and signposts, and hessian coffee sacks donated by Hummingbird provide a protective layer to existing and new plantings. There’s even a compost bin where local cafes using Hummingbird coffee can leave their used grounds, which will then be used as compost on the plants—we love the circle of life in action here!

Christchurch City Council Community Partnership & Residential Red Zone Ranger Sarah Mankelow sums up the park perfectly; it was “created for community by community, it is a beautiful space for all ages and abilities to picnic, play and enjoy.” The surrounding area of Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park is significant to local Ngai Tahu hapū and whānau, known traditionally as Ōruapaeroa and is part of an extensive network of wetlands around New Brighton.

Spotlight on Hummingbird Coffee Roasters:

Christchurch’s Hummingbird Coffee Roasters epitomises the sentiment of ‘local company makes good’. From their humble beginnings, Hummingbird dates back more than 30 years founded in Christchurch by George and Sue Cowper. In 2004, Hummingbird became a champion of fair trade in New Zealand, being one of the first in partnership with Trade Aid to directly import fair trade, organic, green coffee beans. Hummingbird have stayed true to their founder’s philosophy and ethos to create authentic and positive social impact. They have been big advocates of artistic icon The Court Theatre, donating 30 cents from every 200g pack of their Re:Start blend to the rebuild of this local treasure. Hummingbird also has a charitable initiative, the Green Bean Fund, which they use to give back to local communities; they are an important supporter of the Student Volunteer Army and are doing great things in partnership with The Green Lab.

You can find Hummingbird coffee in the hoppers of many Christchurch cafes, a testament to the quality of their beans and roasting techniques. We are a discerning bunch when it comes to coffee, after all. In honour of Hummingbird’s collaboration on Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park, here are five of the neatest spots around the city where you can get your Hummingbird fix.

Oddfellows Cafe

A bushy area inside Sensory Nature Play Park.

The Active Zone in Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park

Oddfellows - Active Zone

5 Disraeli Street, Addington, Christchurch

Just like the Active Zone in Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park, where children can busy themselves balancing, climbing and jumping between large logs and crawling through recycled tunnels, Oddfellows Cafe in Addington is a hive of activity. In operation for 20 years, they pride themselves on delivering consistently great food and coffee (Hummingbird, of course!) With an extensive all-day breakfast menu served on weekdays, they are closed on the weekends but make an exception for a few hours for ‘Scone Saturdays’.

People dining outside a restaurant on a sunny day.

Kaiser Brew Bar

The Sensory Rope at Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park.

Kaiser Brew Garden - Sensory Rope

Riverside Market Level 1/96 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch

Embrace your senses at Kaiser Brew Garden, just like the Sensory Rope helps and encourages Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park visitors. Guiding you around the park's perimeter and engaging with the native broom and plantings. At Kaiser Brew Garden, it’s a sensory match of another kind. This bustling brewery and eatery on the upper level of Riverside Market has plenty of tasty foods waiting for you to try and engage your sense of taste. Of course, Hummingbird Coffee is on offer if you need a little caffeine boost to aid your senses.

Fiddlesticks

The Sound Garden at the Sensory Park

Fiddlesticks - Sound Garden

Corner of Worcester Boulevard &, Montreal Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch

The Sound Garden at the Sensory Park has been created with bamboo tubes, a steel gong drum and sticks to encourage visitors to create their own melodies from nature. At Fiddlesticks in the city centre, you find yourself in a prime position to take in the sights and sounds of The Arts Centre in one direction and Christchurch Art Gallery in another. Take advantage of Fiddlesticks’ ample outdoor seating on a sunny day and absorb the comings and goings around you. While it may be a popular after-work haunt, we like to park up in the morning with our Hummingbird flat whites, and people watch to our hearts' content.

The Beach Bar

A couple of people hanging about in a park.

Creation Station at Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park

The Beach Sumner - Creation Station

25 Esplanade, Sumner, Christchurch

Nature is the best canvas and vehicle for creativity; at Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park, an old tree stump has been repurposed into the Creation Station, allowing visitors of all ages to let their imaginations run wild.

For The Beach Sumner, nature provides a stunning outlook; there’s nowhere else in Ōtautahi where you can dine on the beachfront like this. The Beach serves creative dishes all day long, from breakfast to lunch and wrapping up with dinner. Pair this with its enviable location and killer Hummingbird Coffee; it’s the perfect spot for catching up with friends or family.

The Quarters Eatery

A woman and child looking at a sign in a bush.

Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park

The Quarters Eatery & Christchurch Farmers Market - Wildlife & Bush Zone

16 Kahu Rd, Riccarton, Christchurch

Exploring the wildlife in the bush zone at Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park is full of discovery and wonderment for both young and old. We’re so lucky in Christchurch to enjoy the spoils of nature and the environment that surrounds us. Riccarton Bush is another green space in our city that is a true treasure. The Quarters Eatery in Riccarton House on-site and the ever-popular Saturday Farmers Market are excellent places for refreshments pre- or post-exploring. It just so happens that a cup of Hummingbird coffee will be there to entice you, too.