Tait Park

You’d never know this place was here. Driving past you just get the briefest glimpse of green, maybe a few moments more if you stop at the lights. It’s only if you actually walk along Rosebank Road that you really see this little grotto tucked away.
Unfortunately the connotations that ‘grotto’ bring up aren’t unfair. There’s been some effort to clean this place up in the past few years, but it’s still a seedy little corner for illicit drinking and thuggish intimidation. I mean don’t get me wrong it’s a pleasant bit of grass, with some nice trees — but you could say the same thing about the lion enclosure at the zoo, doesn’t mean your kids are safe there. Don’t think of it as a park, think of it as an overgrown street corner and move along.

I like this street corner, I can honestly say I haven’t been mugged once here!
Plus most of the seedy types are too busy on Great North Road trying to get free money or food from someone to bother any one here. Since the newly planted garden has gone in it is mostly full of sweet little birds and locals stopping for a quiet lunch on the bench seats. Night time may be a different story, however I only feel the need to quicken my step if walking by myself, actually come to think of it maybe collect a stick on your way, and don’t walk too close to the big trees that some one could possibly be hiding behind…
Auckland council, I like the effort you have put into this little place, keep up the good work. The car park next door at the community centre now needs some security attention…