Derby Walkway, Porirua, New Zealand*

This reserve is part of public housing built as part of the Porirua public housing project of the early 1960s. The space is approximately 60 x 60 m with something like 16 residences around - all the homes are weatherboard.

Most houses face into reserve, only one residence has a gate (and that is overgrown with periwinkle, demonstrating lack of use). 

Vehicular access (for maintenance only) at one end, with a removable bollard.

One solitary tree in the space, some foliage at one side, corrugated iron fencing in the main, some wood fencing, some yards very visible from the reserve, one (western) house has verandah facing into reserve. Different uses of backyards but local agriculture seems prevalent, and the n/w corner seems to start to descend into a gully.

It is altogether quite delightful. 

Amusingly (?) one of my students, Ella, came to pick Andrew Mackenzie and I up from Leicester Street and asked some locals where the park was. They told her there was no park nearby. As Andrew pointed out, this might come down to definition of 'park'. Still, strange that when asked such a question, the idea that this space might be a park did not even enter their minds...!

*The reserve is not signposted, however, this pdf gives the name Derby Walkway. 

Interesting video of early days of Porirua as a 'city of tomorrow' here.