Ōrākei has gained more green space as part of Auckland Council’s $43.7 million purchase of parks and open spaces in the last financial year.
The 2327-square-meter area at 5 Ngapipi Road was purchased for $1.875 million and is an addition to the existing Ngapipi Cliff Reserve.
Ōrākei Local Board plans to clear the area and develop it as a passive green space, connected to a new walkway and opening up access to the esplanade along Hobson Bay.
"We’re excited that people will be able to enjoy this new area for relaxation and recreation," said Local Board Chair Kit Parkinson.The new reserve sits on the site of the old Hobson Bay wastewater pipeline, constructed in 1913 and decommissioned in 2009.
The pipeline bisected Hobson Bay and became a well-known and prominent feature of the coastline. A small section of the pipeline remains in the reserve as a reminder of the engineering structures that once served the city.
Watercare has helped to provide archive photos for new signage at the reserve so visitors can find out more about the historic background of the site.
Ōrākei ward councillor Desley Simpson is pleased to have moved the resolution to puchase the land as part of a “very important decision to retain green spaces across the region”.
