Windley Reserve, Cannons Creek, New Zealand*

Accompanied by colleague Andrew Mackenzie, I trekked from Porirua, north of Wellington, to this site in Cannons Creek, which on the map is marked 'Recreation Reserve' and which gave every appearance of being a standard internal reserve space. 

 

(added 5/2/14: This is the same space in the original 1964 Porirua: City of Tomorrow publication; note the designation). 

As it transpired, the reserve's one entranceway was so densely packed with bush that there was no way to gain entry. We walked around to the other side, where the space appeared (once again, on the map) to taper into a pathway. There was no access at all, however. 

Find it on google maps here .

* This reserve is entirely unsignposted, however, this pdf gives the name Windley Reserve (and the classification of scenic reserve B). The Windleys were, it seems, a local landowning family. Their descendants recently proposed that, when East Porirua was officially changed to 'Cannons Creek' (the 1964 City of Tomorrow booklet uses the name) it be known as 'Windley'.

Update 12/2/14: Boffa Miskell and Partners' Porirua Landscape Study: Inventory and Assessment (1992) talks about 'a significant swathe of undeveloped land' through Porirua East, Cannons Creek and Waitangirua which 'could be readily used as the basis for developing a comprehensive framework of open space. This land is already been informally used by local residents for recreation and the development of a variety of native and exotic vegetation has made an important contribution to the appearance and character of neighbourhoods.' (p.28)

Unnamed reserve at Australis Circuit, Beacon Cove/ Port Melbourne

A curious and unusual open space which seems to owe something to a tentative step towards a new urbanist-inspired notion of community open space. Car parking is a large part of the space but also some homes face directly into the space. Beacon Cove is coming up to its twentieth anniversary as a brownfield residential beachside suburb. Google map here.

Poet's Garden, Elwood Vic.

The name 'Poet's Garden' clearly comes because the early 20th century subdivision in the area is riddled with streets named after Victorian era British poets. This reserve could pass for the backyard of the Elwood St Kilda Neighbourhood Learning Centre. Its website claims that the Centre itself is a house built 150 years ago and it seems likely that the open space at the rear is the residual and possibly unsellable remnant of its grounds. As you can see below the space is used very effectively as a playground and community garden. When visited on a Sunday around midday there were children in the playground; adults supervising them; and three or so adults tending to the community garden. Find (the entry point to this reserve) here 

Fence at the other end of the reserve from the community house features a gate with a private driveway to Mitford Street.

Apartments surrounding the space look into it & many have gates into it, too.

Duggan Reserve, Coburg Vic.

Visited again on 5 Jan 2014, early in the morning. See other material on this space here.

John Dwyer Park, Caringbah NSW

A sports reserve. Google map here.

I suspect these logs might be seating. In the distance, someone's woodpile.