Legacy Park, Templeview

Legacy Park's playground is a small, bark surfaced spot centred on swings, set on a rise above Temple View's lake and boardwalk, behind the historic Kai Hall in this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints community west of Hamilton. It suits a quick play before continuing on to walk the boardwalk rather than serving as a destination in itself.

Equipment

The playground centres on swings, set where paths from the boardwalk climb onto the rise above the lake. Boardwalks with herringbone and chevron decking wind around the lake's edge and through a stand of native trees recently supplemented by around 200 kahikatea, giving families somewhere to walk on from the swings rather than turning straight back to the car.

Access and Inclusion

There is no direct tree cover over the swings or seating, so a hat is worth bringing even for a short visit, though the boardwalk through the native trees offers relief nearby. On street parking serves the park, and visitation is far busier on Sunday mornings, peaking around 10am, than at any other time of the week, likely tied to church meeting schedules in this Latter-day Saints community.

History and Cultural

Temple View grew up in the 1950s around the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, the first Latter-day Saints temple built in the Southern Hemisphere. Groundbreaking took place in December 1955 and the temple was completed in 1958, with 500 labour missionaries joining paid workers on the build. About 95 percent of Temple View's residents belong to the church, and a later growth plan aimed to open the settlement to non church members too, adding new housing alongside a Stake Centre and a refurbished Temple Visitors Centre. Legacy Park itself was built directly behind the historic Kai Hall as part of that plan, complete with its lake, river feed, boardwalk and bridge.

Practical Info

Legacy Park is on an unnamed road in Temple View, Hamilton. Parking is on street, seating sits beside the swings, and the lake, boardwalk and native tree plantings lie just below the playground on the rise.