| Te Rapa | |
|---|---|
| City: | Hamilton, New Zealand |
| Island | North Island |
| Surrounded by: | |
| To the north: | rural |
| To the north-east: | Pukete |
| To the east: | Saint Andrews, Waikato |
| To the south-east: | Beerescourt |
| To the south/south-west: | Forest Lake |
| To the west: | Frankton, Waikato |
| To the north-west: | rural |
Te Rapa is a mixed light industrial, large scale retail and semi-rural suburb to the northwest of central Hamilton, New Zealand.
Stretching in a long, thin north-south axis, Te Rapa is home to a large number of factories including Te Rapa Dairy Factory, one of the largest of its kind in the world.
The suburb is the site of a number of important railway linkages in the New Zealand railway network, mainly the North Island Main Trunk Railway and East Coast Main Trunk Railway. The suburb is the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk electrification, a large locomotive depot and formerly a large marshalling yard. The suburb contains a Video Ezy that is the only known venue that still allows original Sony PlayStation game rentals in the Waikato region as of 2011.
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Before its return to the Tainui tribe in a Raupatu land settlement, Te Rapa was also the site of a Royal New Zealand Air Force base.
Te Rapa's shopping area includes The Base, a large scale retail development that opened in 2005, at the site of the former air force base. As of 2006, The Base contained the largest branch of The Warehouse in New Zealand. With the addition of the Te Awa building in 2010, The Base became New Zealand's largest shopping mall, and still is, as of December 2011.
Located in Te Rapa is Te Rapa Racecourse, Hamilton's only remaining horse racing course, and the main race course for the Waikato region. The Te Rapa Racecourse has a symmetrical left-handed track with a circumference of 1788 metres. Facilities and hospitalities include a members facility and private suites.[1]
Waterworld (also known as Te Rapa Pools) is Hamilton city council owned pool complex in Te Rapa. In addition to the main facilities, the venue also includes a range of other options including, (but not limited to) a spa, sauna and steam rooms as well as an outdoor playground. Rides offered at Waterworld include The Python Hydroslide, the Twister Slide and The Screamer Speedslides.[2]