Memorial Gardens Playground

Mosgiel's Memorial Gardens is one of Dunedin City Council's destination playgrounds, and the town's big day-out spot for kids: a fenced, gated preschool area, a separate zone for older kids and a skate park, set among rose beds and mature trees in central Mosgiel.¹²

Equipment

The council's playground guide singles out a large two-mast Spacenet climbing net, an old-style wooden fort with slides, sand play, swings, spinners and rockers, plus a bike jump area.¹ Its register also lists a seesaw, a roundabout and spring rockers. Our own photo shows a blue tube slide over red rubber matting, with a swing frame and spring rockers across the lawn under a huge old tree.

The under-fives area is fully fenced and gated, which reviewers rate highly, while bigger kids have the climbing gear and the skate park.²

Access and Inclusion

This is one of Dunedin's better inclusive playgrounds: the council lists an inclusive carousel, a basket swing and a liberty swing here.¹ Sealed paths loop through the gardens and suit buggies, scooters and kids' bikes.²

History and Cultural

The gardens date from 1967, when the Mosgiel Jaycees took a botanic garden plan to the Mosgiel Borough Council. Play equipment followed in the 1990s, with inclusive pieces added in 2020.³ The site is one of three in the council's destination playground upgrade plans, which propose a park-style skate facility here, with building estimated for 2025 to 2028 if approved.⁴

Practical Info

Park on Reid Avenue, or come in from Gordon Road near the sports ground buildings.² Reviewers mention public toilets, a free BBQ and a water tap, and the playing fields beyond suit a ball game when they are not in use. Benches line the paths, and the rose garden is worth a lap once the kids have run themselves out. Murray Street Playground and ANZAC Park Playground are each about 500 m away for a change of scene.