Bishopdale Park

A fibreglass elephant slide has anchored Bishopdale Park's playground since 1974, its trunk curling down as the slide itself, and it is still the reason families cross Christchurch to visit what locals call Elephant Park, a big, breezy seven-hectare reserve with one of the city's most loved playgrounds inside it.

Equipment

The star attraction is the elephant slide, built into the shape of the fibreglass elephant's trunk. Around it sits a substantial play offer: a climbing frame, a junior multi-play structure with slide, a larger multi-play structure with slide, a flying fox, a mega slide, rockers, a see-saw, balance beams, obstacles and swings including an infant swing. A large council skate area on Leacroft Street, one of the biggest suburban skate parks in Christchurch, plus a basketball court and sports fields sit alongside for older visitors.

Access and Inclusion

The park has a wheelchair accessible entrance, and the junior play area is fenced, giving families with younger or less confident children a contained space with a junior multi-play structure, a rocker and an infant swing separated from the bigger equipment. Public toilets and a drinking fountain are on site.

History and Cultural

The park and suburb take their name from the Bishop brothers, James, Robert and William, who bought land here in 1858 or 1859 and ran pipfruit orchards on it. The playground's icon has its own origin story: council ran a competition asking local schoolchildren for play equipment ideas, and Burnside High School student Alida Pickard's papier mache elephant design placed second, earning a five-dollar savings account prize and a slide built in her elephant's honour. Fifty years later, the story inspired the 2024 picture book Elephant Park, written by Melanie Koster, who played on the slide as a child, illustrated by Jenny Cooper for Scholastic NZ.

Practical Info

Bishopdale Park sits at the corner of Harewood Road and Leacroft Street, close to Bishopdale Mall, with on street parking. The site is smokefree and vape free under council policy, and public toilets make it comfortable for longer stays.