Te Puāwaitanga

Te Puāwaitanga Community development is at the heart of everything we do at Haigh Workman. Sporting infrastructure remains relatively sparse across the Mid North despite a growing population, so when the opportunity came to help bring this multi-code facility to life on raw paddocks in a Waipapa floodplain, we were genuinely excited to be involved. Haigh Workman undertook all engineering on the site, which presented some real complexity. A floodplain with soft alluvial soils is, in some ways, well-suited to sports fields, but it also demands careful thinking. The key challenges were ensuring playing surfaces sat high enough, and that drainage was robust enough to keep the site dry and reduce flood risk. Our pre-purchase geotechnical investigation for Far North District Council revealed deep soft soils and an extremely shallow water table. That finding shaped everything. To avoid fighting the ground, earthworks were kept to a minimum; we followed existing levels as closely as possible and broke no more than the top-soil where we could help it. Designing for a multi-code facility added another layer of complexity. Each code has different requirements for field size and orientation, and the stormwater management system, which was extensive, had to work around all of them. All stormwater pipes needed to be placed below the water table in very soft ground. The client's commitment to local and broader outcomes procurement meant a number of smaller, local contractors were involved in earthworks and site preparation. Many hadn't worked on a site of this complexity before, so we invested significant time in liaison, oversight, and coordination to make sure nothing fell through the gaps. Community and stakeholder management was equally important. The project brought together a range of community groups and sporting codes, each with their own priorities within this Council-led initiative. Navigating those competing interests required patience, clear communication, and genuine engagement throughout. Roading and traffic engineering also formed part of our scope. The entrance to Te Puāwaitanga sits off a busy and previously very narrow stretch of State Highway 10, which required careful planning and close liaison with Waka Kotahi. Car parking design for the facility was part of our brief too. Te Puāwaitanga has ambitious plans for future growth well beyond its first phase. We're proud to know that as it develops, it will do so on infrastructure we helped create.