Olympic Park

Unfortunately there is an object in the playground here that inadvertently turns me into someone that pushes children aside; it’s a big round disc that you lie in and then can gently swing on. It’s both relaxing and good fun at the same time, but of course popular with children, so means I have to casually sit near by and then run for it before anyone else gets on it. Many times I have been thwarted by the faster legs of a small child, and then have to retreat to a seat, ready to make another approach once they are bored. I’m sorry to anyone I have glared at because they snaked me for the disc swing.
Aside from a pretty grouse playground (the only downside is that there’s no enclosed section, which means it’s less relaxing for the responsible adults), Olympic Park also features a spider sanctuary, some art work recreating eels, and a scary make-​out point section under a rail bridge. That all makes it sound horrible, but it’s actually a pretty cool space, with an art trail, a creek, plenty of places to lie back and look at the clouds, and a great respite from the industrial grimness of New Lynn. At the moment, it really needs a good weed, as there’s quite a few weeds popping up, but that’s an easy thing to remedy. It also incorporates sports grounds and the athletics track that Arthur Lydiard trained many of his athletes, hence its name.