Dream South D Newsletter

July 2026

Kia ora koutou - welcome to Dream South D’s quarterly newsletter!

Dream South D is a community-led development project in the heart of South Dunedin!   We hope this newsletter finds you well, and everyone is staying warm and dry!  

What we’ve been up to recently…

Dream South D has been hard at work enhancing Bathgate Park, with several exciting new amenities now in place. These include a wheelchair-accessible picnic table and BBQ, as well as a new shelter, making the park more welcoming and accessible for everyone. In the near future, a new water fountain will also be installed beside the basketball court.

We’re also brightening up King Edward Street this winter. As part of the Mid-Winter Glow Up, Dream South D has provided Christmas lights to local businesses, adding a little extra light, colour, and fun to the street during the colder months.

Bathgate Park

We're excited to share that, with the support of SGC Services, we've installed new amenities at the park similar to those at Navy Park. These include a shelter, a wheelchair-accessible picnic table, and an all-access barbecue. A drinking fountain will also be installed at a later stage.

The playground has remained open throughout the work, with no disruption to play. We'll continue to share progress updates and let you know when all the new facilities are ready to enjoy with a free BBQ to celebrate! Keep an eye on our projects page for the latest news!

South Dunedin Skip Day - Saturday 16th May 2026

On the 16th May, we ran the Skip Day event from the Victoria Road car park, and it was a great success, with strong demand throughout the day. In total, seven skips were filled.

The event was supported by volunteers from the University of Otago’s UniCrew team, while Taskforce Green provided free collections for local residents with mobility restrictions.

Save Money Skips provided outstanding support on the day, returning as needed to collect full skips and deliver additional ones to keep the event running smoothly. Com2Tech collected old but still-functional technology for recycling or repurposing. Lee from Re:Gear handed out 50 free power banks and picked up old tech for the Retro Exhibit; Cargill's Enterprises responsibly recycled the remaining non-working e-waste.

Sports Reconnect - Saturday 6th June 2026

Our Sports Reconnect event, in collaboration with Sport Otago, King's High School, and the Queen's High School Sports Council, was another great success.

A huge thank you to the student volunteers who helped families find the right sports gear and cooked around 100 sausages for the community sausage sizzle.

132 people attended the event and picked up quality sports gear, generously donated by the Dunedin community. Dream South D also provided a range of free giveaways, including mouthguards, ball pumps, shin pads, hair ties, deodorant, and boot bags, which were very well received.

King's High School once again provided an outstanding venue for the event. We greatly appreciate the support of the school and its staff, who generously accommodated the event and provided the use of the Performing Arts Foyer.

Large-Scale Project

Dream South D is delighted to share that we have an upcoming large-scale project to announce! Over the coming weeks, we'll be revealing more details about plans to refresh an underutilised but much-loved community outdoor space, creating an even better place for local people to enjoy. Keep an eye on our social media pages for updates - we can't wait to share more with you!

Watch this space

A lot is happening in our community over the coming months! We’re looking forward to welcoming you to our Halloween event, hosting a free BBQ in Bathgate, and having communication boards installed in two local parks. Keep an eye on our website and social media for the latest news, event details, and ways to get involved – we’d love to see you there!

To find out more about any of our projects, to volunteer, or to see how Dream South D might support your kaupapa, you can:

• pop in for a chat between 9am-3.00pm, Monday-Friday at 183 King Edward St

• call 022 507 1122

• email hello@dreamsouthd.org.nz

• or click below to have a look at our Community Plan.