Monte Cecilia Park

Introduction | Pah Homestead | TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre | Site characteristics | Image gallery | History

History

Land and homestead at Monte Cecilia Park

Early history

Scientists believe the site's geology reflects the basaltic scoria tuff associated with the Three Kings volcano, one of the many volcanoes in the immediate area, which form part of the greater Auckland isthmus volcanic field.

The site has cultural significance to local iwi, as the area once contained the Whataroa Pa.

The original 162 ha property was purchased from Maori by early Auckland settler and land dealer William Hart in 1843. It was later sold to Thomas Russell in 1870, before James Williamson purchased it and built the Pah homestead as a private home.

Surrounding the park are the Monte Cecilia Primary School, Franciscan's Friary, Marcellin College, Selwyn Heights Retirement Village, and Liston Village including the historic Pah Stables.

A heritage conservation plan, an archaeological and geophysical assessment, a cultural heritage overview for Whataroa Pa, and a landscape history and tree assessment have been produced to help better understand the Maori and European heritage of the site including Pah homestead.

Pah Homestead

The homestead itself was built between 1877 and 1879 as Auckland businessman James Williamson's "gentleman's residence".

Designed by Architect Edward Mahoney using the then fashionable Italianate style, the homestead was the largest home in the Auckland province at the time. The complex house remains largely as it was built, with almost all of its original door and window joinery, elaborate ceiling roses, parquet floors and marble fireplaces intact.

The original tree-lined drive down from Pah Road to the house also remains largely intact, although the lower parts of it now run through private properties adjoining the park.

After Williamson's death in 1888, the lavish establishment was taken over by the Bank of New Zealand and leased to the Anglican Church. The homestead subsequently housed St John’s School, under Canon Percy Smallfield, from 1902 until 1912. In 1913, the Sisters of Mercy and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, Henry William Cleary purchased the homestead.

Mother Cecilia Maher, together with seven other Sisters, were the first religious women to arrive in New Zealand in April 1850 from Ireland. During its ownership by the Sisters of Mercy and later the Catholic Diocese, the house served as an orphanage, novitiate house (for instructing novices to the Mercy Order), boarding school and emergency housing.

The council purchased the homestead in 2002 and it has been extensively restored and adapted prior to the opening of the TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre in 2010. The attention to heritage detail has ensured the building has been faithfully restored, while benefiting from hidden modern services, security systems and structural strengthening. The restoration was granted a heritage award by the New Zealand Institute of Architects in its 2010 awards programme.

Establishment of the park

In 1997, Auckland City was approached by a property owner about a potential 50 lot residential subdivision on the site. In 1998, Auckland City commissioned a feasibility study on acquisition options for a new public park in Hillsborough. The study identified a number of properties that would, collectively, create the nucleus of a mature public park. Meetings were subsequently held with the owners to describe the public park proposal, and ascertain their aspirations for the land.

In May 1998, Auckland City Council endorsed the concept of a premier park. Discussions regarding acquisition were held. By August 1998, significant progress had been made. Given the financial significance of these transactions, Auckland City published a notice of requirement for designation. This notice was published to ensure that a large area in multiple ownership could be acquired over time, and to ensure that the natural features of the site were protected from future development.

Significant progress has been made since the notice of requirement was lodged. The following table indicates completed acquisitions and the area acquired:

The Auckland Council considers future purchases as opportunities arise.

Naming the park

In 2004, the local and wider community was invited to participate in the naming process for the park. Over 50 suggestions were received, and after a short-listing process, the public was then given the opportunity to vote for one of four preferred names.  The most popular name was Monte Cecilia. The park was officially named and opened at a ceremony on 25 September 2004.

Updated December 2010