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Story: City parks and green spaces

Myers Park, Auckland, around 1917

Myers Park, Auckland, around 1917

Myers Park in Auckland contains little evidence that it was once covered with buildings. In 1913 businessman and politician Sir Arthur Myer gifted 6 acres (2.4 hectares) of slum land off Queen Street to the city for a park. The buildings were demolished and the site was landscaped and planted. Myer also built a kindergarten next to the park. In this image the playground looks beyond full capacity – this and the tent off to the side suggests a special event may be taking place.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, William Archer Price Collection (PAColl-3057)

Reference: 1/2-001353; G

by William Archer Price

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, City parks and green spaces – Later urban parks, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/20568/myers-park-auckland-around-1917 (accessed 21 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 26 February 2010.

Comments

Edward Bennett
21 October 2010
This image shows the opening of the Kindergarten in 1916. Arthur Myers did not gift the land to the city, he gave the city ten thousand pounds to buy the land to create the park. He then gave the city another sum of money to build the Kindergarten building. Myers was knighted in 1924, two years before he died and three years after leaving New Zealand. He wasn't Sir Arthur while Mayor of Auckland. Behind the tree centre right can be seen the cupola of the Rendells Department Store on Karangahape Road. The large house to the right is St Kevins House, home of the Nathan family, which was demolished in the early 1920s. Three buildings including St Kevins Arcade were constructed on the site of the house and its garden.