Te Ara Awataha students bring town centre link to life

01 September 2026

Northcote
News
Sustainability
Urban regeneration

Students from Room 4 at Northcote Intermediate School roll up their sleeves and put the finishing touches on the town centre section of Te Ara Awataha, Northcote's new greenway.

As part of a science day, the students worked alongside Kaipātiki Project, a local environmental charity, and Glasgow Contractors, who have been constructing this section since April 2026. Together, they planted 280 native grasses and plants to help bring the greenway to life ahead of its public opening in mid-September 2026.

Te Ara Awataha runs alongside the partially resurfaced Awataha Stream – providing walking and cycling connections, wildlife habitat, stormwater management, and green space in the heart of the community.

The town centre section is the missing link in the greenway and will soon complete the connection through Northcote.

A long-standing connection

Local schools have a special connection to Te Ara Awataha that stretches back almost 20 years. Students were involved in the greenway's early vision and development, and today the pathway connects directly to the back of the school, providing a safe off-road route for students walking to and from school. Northcote Intermediate students were involved in the greenway’s design in 2017, providing input into how the space could be used.

Seeing students continue to play an active role in the greenway's development was a highlight of the planting day.

That connection is also reflected in the artwork created by Northcote Intermediate students that’s inspired by Te Ara Awataha. Students designed imaginative guardians to help protect the greenway and its natural environment. You'll spot their artwork on construction fencing near the town centre section, helping tell the story of the greenway while work is completed.

Growing future tiaki (care)

Seeing students take ownership of Te Ara Awataha is exactly what we hope to achieve. By connecting young people with the greenway today, we're helping foster future tiaki – so this special place is looked after and championed for years to come.

Thank you

A big thank you to the students and their teacher for their hard mahi on the day, and to Kaipātiki Project and Glasgow Contractors for helping make the planting day possible.

With the final planting now complete, the town centre section of Te Ara Awataha remains on track to open in mid-September. Te Ara Awataha will be fully complete when the upgrade of the neighbouring Puāwai Cadness Reserve is finished in late 2027.

Te Ara Awataha is a collaborative project delivered by Auckland Council, Kāinga Ora, mana whenua, Kaipātiki Local Board, and those in the community.