A curious spot: Victoria Park, Christchurch : Its present and future use as a recreation resource for the city and people of Christchurch : [dissertation] presented for the Diploma of Parks and Recreation, Lincoln College, Canterbury, New Zealand

Abstract

The Port Hills of Christchurch are defined as a "recreation resource" of that city. However, the recreational use of the Port Hills is limited by private ownership of open space, and the mainly "scenic" classification of the Summit Road reserves. One park stands out as a venue for recreation: Victoria Park. Designated a recreation reserve, it has sufficient area for users to evade the motor traffic which dominates the Summit Road reserves, It offers sweeping views of the Southern .Alps and the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch, while nearby suburban Cashmere is mercifully hidden by the topography. The park serves urban dwellers, yet is above Christchurch and in a rural setting. This has made it a long-time popular picnic spot, and a pleasant adjunct to the Summit Road drive. We are now in an age when people go to parks for a wide variety of purposes, motivated by equally various needs. Thus parks must be run intuitively by administrators who understand the needs, appreciate the resource, and can unite the two to create a park with a purpose. Victoria Park has been a good asset to Christchurch down the years, but its significance as the park on the Hills has yet to be fully realized. The park's Cashmere entrance has no signpost, and the park's existence is implied only by the continuation of horticulture beyond the urban fence, and a small "don't do ... " sign erected by the City Council. Nowhere is it suggested that the park has any purpose or character, or anything to offer the recreationist. In this paper, I intend to cover some aspects of what Victoria Park can offer the people of Christchurch through horticulture and recreation.