Myers Park, Auckland

Myers Park is a large green space right in the centre of Auckland that was established in 1915 to serve as a thoroughfare connecting the Karangahape Road area and the CBD. There are steep grass-covered hills and slopes where you will also find a fascinating array of exotic flora growing alongside native New Zealand trees. Prior to being transformed into the stunning green, natural space that you see today, it was a large gully and for a time led down an open sewer. In fact, the area around today’s park was a dump and shanty town until a cash gift of £9000 was given by former Auckland mayor Arthur Myers for the purchase of the land.

Money was also pledged by Myers during the opening of the park in February 1915 to open a kindergarten in the park for the predominantly working class that lived around it. Eight months later the kindergarten opened and was later followed by a YWCA providing accommodation for young women working in the CBD. The kindergarten and a children’s playground are still operating today. Within the Myers Park there is also the historically significant caretakers building, over a century old and built from rare kauri.