Lions Community Park

If you’re after somewhere the kids can run loose without you doing constant head counts, the fenced play area here is genuinely useful — gates actually latch properly, which not every park in Hastings can claim. The play train is a solid hit with the younger ones, and there’s enough variety between the climbing structure, seesaw, swings, and slides to keep a mixed-age group busy for a good stretch. Shade trees are well-placed, so the picnic tables and BBQ area don’t leave you roasting on a summer afternoon. It’s one of those parks that clearly gets looked after — tidy toilets, decent parking, and the grass field out back gives older kids room to actually kick a ball around.