Waitangi Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Waitangi Park |
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Waitangi Park in March 2007. In the foreground is the Sunday market.
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| Location | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Area | 6.5 ha (16 acres) |
| Created | 2006 |
| Operated by | Wellington City Council |
Waitangi Park is a cool park in Wellington, New Zealand. It was opened in 2006. You can find it close to Te Papa (New Zealand's national museum) and Courtenay Place. The park has lots to do! There's a place to launch waka (Māori canoes), a fun playground for kids, a cool skateboarding area, and a big open grassy space.
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Fun Events at Waitangi Park
Lots of exciting events happen at Waitangi Park. Here are some examples:
- In 2006, the "Earth From Above" exhibition was held here. It showed amazing photos by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The exhibition made people think about how we can live in a way that helps the planet.
- During the 2006 "International Festival of the Arts," the park hosted live music. Both New Zealand bands like Salmonella Dub and The Phoenix Foundation played. International artists also performed, such as Antonio Forcione from Italy.
Some events happen regularly:
- Waitangi Park Market: This is a market where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. It's open every Sunday morning.
- Petanque: People often play this fun game, which is a bit like lawn bowls.
- Skateboarding: The park has a special area for skateboarding.
- Waka-launching: People can launch traditional Māori canoes from the park.
The History of Waitangi Park
People in Wellington used to call this area Chaffers Park. Before 1855, the park area was part of a gently sloping beach. It was often covered by water from the harbour and a stream.
How Waitangi Park Was Built
A company called Wraight Athfield Landscape Architecture (WALA) won a competition to design the park. They finished the design in 2005. The new park won many awards for its design.
As part of building the park, an old post office building nearby was turned into apartments and shops. These are now called Chaffers Dock Apartments.
The new Waitangi Park officially opened in March 2006. The whole project cost about $22 million.
The Geography of the Park
The park has a special wetland area with water flowing through it. This water comes from the Waitangi Stream. The stream used to flow underground, but now it flows through gravel and grass in the park. The Waitangi Stream starts in the Aro Valley.
Waitangi Park is also near where the historic Waitangi Lagoon used to be. This lagoon was fed by the Waitangi Stream. Long ago, Māori people used the lagoon for fishing and gathering shellfish. They also used it for fresh water and for launching their waka.
In 1855, a big earthquake happened. It raised the land around the stream by several metres. This caused the stream to go underground. So, Waitangi Park is actually built on land that was once under the sea!
Images for kids
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Waitangi Park in March 2007. In the foreground is the Sunday market.
 | Shirley Ann Jackson |
 | Garett Morgan |
 | J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. |
 | Elijah McCoy |
