PUKEKURA PARK - LIARDET ST ENTRANCE

Originally the plan was to have the main entrance at the northwest corner of the grounds onto Carrington Road (now Victoria Road) and run a path along the western bank of the stream down to Brooklands. From this a second path was to run at right angles across the valley past Breidecker’s vineyard (in what is now Stainton Dell) and exit at the racecourse. Unfortunately, it was difficult to proceed with the main entrance at that location as the Board did not own town sections 1084 and 1065. A decision was made to move the entrance to Liardet Street which at the time was the only reasonable alternative.

Although people could come up Liardet Street this was not ideal as a stream that crossed the street had to be bridged and a large hill outside the entrance to the grounds had to be surmounted. Take a step outside of the Liardet Street entrance and look at the cutting either side of the road, that cutting did not exist when the Recreation Grounds was officially opened in May 1876.

The first proper gates to be erected at the entrance were donated by George Rhind in 1885. They were built by blacksmith James Revell, were made of wrought iron, and hung on large iron posts. Unfortunately, the foundations were not built as solidly as the gates themselves and soon collapsed leaving the gates impassable.

In 1890, Robert Hughes Senior took it upon himself to fix the problem. He engaged Arthur Mofflin to design a new entrance which included rehanging the existing gates. A full width concrete foundation was laid with concrete pillars supporting the gates. On the west side a smaller wicket was added for foot traffic. What was described as a smaller wicket was an opening with a turnstile.