Burnside Park

Burnside Park sits on a 29-hectare block at 336 Avonhead Road in the western suburbs, roughly five minutes from Christchurch International Airport and fifteen minutes from the city centre.

Equipment

The playground is positioned close to the Avonhead Road frontage, separate from the main sports fields and easy to find from the car park. Climbing structures, slides, and swings suit primary-school-age children, with a multi-play unit at the centre. Open grass surrounds the play area, and public BBQs and picnic tables sit alongside. A separate dirt jump area near the park caters to older children on BMX bikes.

Access and Inclusion

The park is unfenced and open at all hours. On-street and off-street parking are both available at the Avonhead Road entrance. A chemical-free water standpipe lets families refill bottles without carrying a full supply. Public toilets are on site. The perimeter fitness circuit has exercise stations with diagrams, making it useful for adults supervising from the track while children play.

History and Cultural

Burnside Park was one of several Christchurch parks championed by Ray Blank during his time on the Waimairi County Council from 1953 to 1962. The cricket oval hosted its first recorded match in 1974 when Canterbury Women played Auckland Women, and its only first-class match in 1991 during the Shell Trophy, won by Canterbury over Central Districts. The Burnside West Christchurch University Cricket Club, established in 1905, still plays here. A concrete water tower at the Avonhead Road entrance was built in the late 1970s and now carries telecommunications equipment.

Practical Info

Sports facilities on site include rugby, cricket and football pitches, plus tennis and squash courts, and the park is maintained by Christchurch City Council.