Little Poland Park

Little Poland Park playground is a neighbourhood play space at the corner of Oakbridge Boulevard and Burkett Street in Marshland, Christchurch, with a compact but well rounded equipment set suited to toddlers through to early primary age. Its name carries real weight: the park honours the arrival of hundreds of Polish refugee children in New Zealand during the Second World War.

Equipment

The council asset register lists a baby swing, a climbing structure, a see saw, a slide, and swings at the playground, set on a bark surface covering around 278 square metres.

History and cultural

In November 1944, more than 700 Polish children and over 100 caregivers arrived in New Zealand aboard the USS General Randall, having survived Soviet deportation, Siberian labour camps and a period of refuge in Persia before the New Zealand government offered them sanctuary. They formed the "Little Poland" settlement in Pahiatua, where they lived until they could integrate into New Zealand life, and this Christchurch playground takes its name from that community. The park opened on 1 December 2024 as the centrepiece of the city's regional commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of their arrival, with five of the original children attending.

Practical info

The park is accessible from Oakbridge Boulevard in Marshland, and Christchurch City Council's smokefree and vape free policy applies here.