Greenlane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenlane
The Logan Campbell statue at the western end of the suburb
Basic information
Local authority	Auckland Council
Electoral ward	Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Ward
Population	8010 (2018)
Facilities
Train station(s)	Greenlane Railway Station
Hospitals(s)	Greenlane Hospital
Surrounds
North	Newmarket
East	Remuera
Southeast	Ellerslie
South	One Tree Hill
Southwest	Royal Oak
West	Epsom

Greenlane is a central isthmus suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It is bounded by Epsom to the west, Newmarket to the north, Remuera to the east and One Tree Hill to the south.

The Greenlane shops are situated at the intersection of Great South Road and Green Lane West. On the northern side of Green Lane West are located the Alexandra Park Raceway, the Auckland Showgrounds and the Campbell Park Tennis Club; on the southern side is Greenlane Hospital, Cornwall Park, Cornwall Cricket Club, and Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill and its park.

Within Auckland, the suburb is best-known for Cornwall Park, the Greenlane Clinical Centre, which is a large hospital complex, the Auckland Showgrounds, car yards and the Alexandra Park racecourse.

The suburb itself is one word (Greenlane), whereas the thoroughfare is two (Green Lane).

History

From the 1840s until the 1890s Greenlane was noted for its rich pasture land which supported both dairy herds and grain crops. Initially large country houses and farms dotted the landscape but from the 1890s onwards suburban development spread southwards from Newmarket across the fields of Epsom. This was the reason Dr John Logan Campbell gifted part of his One Tree Hill farm to the city as a public park in 1901. Since the early 1990s there has been a considerable amount of "infill" housing with clutches of townhouses altering the streetscapes in some parts of Greenlane.

The broad, flat pastureland here at the intersection of Green Lane and Manukau Roads was used for sporting events from the 1850s onwards but the Alexandra Park Raceway and ASB Showgrounds were only formally established around 1900. The Alexandra Park Raceway was named after the then Princess of Wales (later Queen Alexandra), and specialises in trotting races. The showgrounds have been the site of many trade exhibitions and agricultural shows, especially the annual Auckland Royal Easter Show.

Adjacent to Alexandra Park was the Auckland Electric Tram Company tram depot. Organised in 1902 the tram company had storage sheds and an administrative office block built here as it was half way between Auckland and Onehunga. The system was torn out in 1956 but the sheds remained here until the late 1970s when they were replaced by an office park. The administrative block survives as a restaurant.

Greenlane Hospital is a complex of several buildings dating from as early as the 1870s to the present day. One of the buildings was donated by Edward Costley, an Auckland businessman who bequeathed money for many charitable works. The National Women's Hospital dates from the late 1950s and was an icon of modernity in its day. During World War II large numbers of prefabricated buildings were constructed in the eastern part of Cornwall Park in readiness for wounded and sick American soldiers to be evacuated from Guadalcanal. The buildings were used during the 1950s and 60s as maternity wards until the adjacent National Women's Hospital was fully open. The buildings were progressively reduced in number in the 1960s although some remained standing empty until the mid 1970s. Now only the flag pole remains as a memorial to the wartime usage.

Greenlane falls across two parliamentary electorates:

• Epsom, represented by Member of Parliament David Seymour of the Act party
• Maungakiekie, represented by Member of Parliament Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga of the National party

Since the 2010 amalgamation of councils, Greenlane also falls across two wards for electing local boards of the Auckland Council, and as of the 2016 local elections, the representation is as follows:

• Albert-Eden Local Board - Communities and Residents, City Vision
• Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board - Auckland Future

Demographics

Greenlane, comprising the statistical areas of Greenlane North and Greenlane South, had a population of 8,010 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 468 people (6.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 936 people (13.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,577 households. There were 3,825 males and 4,185 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female, with 1,359 people (17.0%) aged under 15 years, 2,136 (26.7%) aged 15 to 29, 3,708 (46.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 804 (10.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 53.9% European/Pākehā, 5.7% Māori, 6.1% Pacific peoples, 40.1% Asian, and 3.4% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 45.2%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 48.2% had no religion, 35.2% were Christian, and 11.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 2,925 (44.0%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 504 (7.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,639 (54.7%) people were employed full-time, 999 (15.0%) were part-time, and 222 (3.3%) were unemployed.

Education

Cornwall Park District School is a coeducational contributing primary school (years 1-6) with a roll of 634 as of April 2023. And Remuera Intermediate is also within zone.

The area is served by state secondary schools including Auckland Grammar School, Epsom Girls Grammar School and St Peter's College.

Images for kids

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  An older part of the Greenlane Medical Centre