To construct this park in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the resulting supply shortages, shipping delays and the busiest construction boom in living memory was a huge challenge. However it is a testament to everyone involved that the park got built and is now open for use.
We would like to thank everyone involved - Whangarei District Council for their original vision and then ongoing collaboration and support throughout the project. Our entire Robinson Asphalts team, it took a shared effort on everybody’s part, and in particular our Project Manager Mark Smith, Foreman David Gurnell, the on-site team, and the rest of our staff for picking up the load elsewhere.
A big thanks to all of our suppliers and subcontractors including Trigg Construction, Currie Electrical, Hansen Drainage, The Watertight Co, Land Escapes, Northland Metal Industries, GHK Piling, Shade Systems NZ, Numat REC, CMT Group & Landscaping Yard, Busck Prestressed Concrete Ltd, Culham Engineering Ltd, Anlyn Piling & Contracting Ltd, 100H20 Finishers, BDC Concrete, Just Polished Concrete, Ander Consulting, Geospatial, Graeme Bird Concrete Cutting and many others.
Robinson Asphalts was founded 50 years ago in 1972 by Peter and Joan Robinson, and then purchased by family, Alan and Annie Johnston, 30 years ago in 1992. The same year Robinson Asphalts began work on 3 of the 4 original stages of the Town Basin, one of the first large projects we ever completed for Whāngarei District Council.
To be back 30 years later and complete not only Pūtahi Park, but recently also the Landscaping works on the Hundertwasser Art Museum, the Town Basin Playground Renewal, Bascule Carpark, the Victoria Street Bridge Upgrade and other works is a true ‘full circle’ journey for us. For this we would like to thank our directors Alan and Annie Johnston for their vision, hard work and determination over the decades, and for what they have built Robinsons into today.