Aotea Lagoon
| Aotea Lagoon | |
|---|---|
Aotea Lagoon from the north-east in 2007 | |
Interactive map of Aotea Lagoon | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 41°7′10.9446″S 174°51′25.1598″E / 41.119706833°S 174.856988833°E |
| Area | 7 ha (17 acres) |
| Opened | 22 March 1980 |
| Managed by | Porirua City Council |
| Open | All year |
| Water | 5 ha (12 acres) artificial saltwater lagoon |
| Public transit access | Metlink bus 236 stop on Papakōwhai Road at the Royal New Zealand Police College |
| Website | poriruacity |
Aotea Lagoon is an urban park, containing an artificial salt water lagoon, in Porirua, New Zealand.
The lagoon was originally a bay on the Onepoto arm of Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour. The bay was in Papakōwhai between promontories at Gear Homestead and Thurso Grove. The North Island Main Trunk railway line passes through the area. It originally followed the curve of the bay's shoreline. By 1960, the railway line had been moved to a causeway built straight across the bay by the Ministry of Works. Largely cut off from the sea, the bay became a lagoon.
By the early 1970s, the ministry had to provide a recreational reserve for the state housing it had built in the city. The ministry, Porirua City Council and local service clubs developed a park around the lagoon. The park opened in 1980, and the Crown gave it to the council in 1994.
Aotea Lagoon has zones for various types of recreation. The central zone has a path around the lagoon for exercising, but swimming in the lagoon is banned due to poor water quality. The northern end is the play zone with playgrounds, a splash pad and barbeques. The southern end is the garden zone, and all three zones also have lawns. A rideable miniature train runs around the park on Sunday afternoons, weather permitting. On Aotea Lagoon's official website, the council describe it as one of the city's flagship parks.