Myers Park Underpass

About the project

We’ve upgraded the northern (city) end of the much-loved and historic Myers Park.

The project transformed the underpass area connecting Aotea Square with Myers Park from a carpark to a greener and more welcoming space. This work also improved floodwater drainage infrastructure in the area.

The Myers Park upgrade is part of a wider programme of work revitalising the midtown area and ensuring the city centre’s heart is a vibrant place people are drawn to, in preparation for a significant increase in visitors to the area when the City Rail Link’s nearby Te Waihorotiu Station opens. This work is informed by the visionary City Centre Masterplan.

The upgrade has been funded by city centre businesses and residents through the city centre targeted rate, alongside council funding including contributions from the Waitematā Local Board and Auckland Council’s Regional Public Art capital expenditure fund.

The renewal of the northern end of Myers Park is the final stage of the Waitematā Local Board’s plans for the park’s redevelopment.

What’s involved

City connectivity is upgraded with a new staircase leading to Queen Street. New design elements including lighting, seating and a timber boardwalk help make the park an oasis in the city centre, while improved drainage infrastructure supports the existing floodwall to help future-proof the park and surrounding area for coming generations to enjoy.

Myers Park now homes 344 mature trees, including 24 newly planted natives, that provide shade, attract birds, improve air quality and absorb carbon.

Partnering with mana whenua

Through a mana whenua forum, Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Manu, Ngāti Haua) and his team of talented mana whenua creatives were invited to develop an artwork which would be an expression of te ao Māori, encouraging deeper understanding of cultural context, environment, and place.

Connecting local theatres with the park, the improved underpass now features a continuous pūhoro pattern molded into concrete ramps. Graham Tipene says that pūhoro literally means ‘frictionless motion’. His double-spiral design speaks to the northern and southern hemispheres and to male female duality, while re-creating the ridges that were once carved into the hulls of waka. Water would hit the ridges and form a thin layer of air, helping the vessels move faster through the ocean.

Tessa Harris (Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki) has also contributed through the development of pātiki (flounder) patterning work for the new enhanced staircase reconnecting Mayoral Drive and Queen Street with the park. Pātiki once thrived in the nearby tidal area.

Graham Tipene and Tessa Harris

Dates

The Myers Park Underpass project, including the first stage of the artwork Waimahara, was opened in December 2023.

Further Information

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You can read more about this project and other activities in Myers Park on OurAuckland

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