Launched in 1997 by the newly formed Swanson Residents and Ratepayers’ Association, the Swanson Beyond 2000 project aimed to design a concept plan for Swanson village. The first project was landscaping around the railway station.
The committee worked closely with the Swanson Railway Station Trust, consulting with the wider community, to develop Swanson Station Park. The design was funded by the Swanson Balefill Trust, which contributed over $300.000 towards the landscaping work. A $205.000 grant from Infrastructure Auckland provided the balance.
The park was officially opened in September 2000 by 100-year-old Alison Robertson, Mayor Bob Harvey and Olivia McIntyre, representing the children of Swanson. It was a great community day, with speeches, performances, a brass band and a magnificent afternoon tea.
The Knox Memorial Park is named after the Knox family who ran a general store on the opposite corner for over 50 years. Robert Knox had brought the business from James Patterson Sinclair who had set it up in about 1886. In January 1889 James Sinclair added a bakery and confectionary. The district’s bread was previously brought by train from Read more...
Swanson was well known during the 1890s and early 1900s as a popular place in the district for picnics. Mr Spencer’s property (the area below the current school and now part of the golf course) was noted for its reputation “as the favourite picnic park of Swanson”. In 1899, in addition to the school picnic which was held there annually, Read more...
The construction of the Waitakere Dam in the early 1900s was another project that provided work for Swanson settlers. Many families, including the Peglers, Ashs, Taylors, and Foleys, were part of the huge labour force on this and other Waitakere watershed projects. The growing city of Auckland needed a reliable water supply and its council found a suitable site for Read more...
