Churton Park

Churton Park
Churton Park, Wellington, New Zealand
Churton Park
Churton Park (New Zealand Wellington)
Basic information
Local authority Wellington City
Electoral ward Northern Ward
Population 5,862[1] (2006)
Facilities
Surrounds
North Tawa
East Grenada Village
South Johnsonville
West Ohariu

Churton Park is a suburb 1.5 km north of Johnsonville in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It was established in the 1970s, and as of 2009 had a population of 6,260.[2]

The suburb includes over 1500 households, Churton Park recreational sports field, two primary schools and a kindergarten. Construction of a local community centre with shops began in February 2011.

The suburb has an active community residents' association, which meets monthly at the Churton Park School. Along with general community advocacy it organises the annual free community Christmas party and a car boot fair in March of each year.

History

Churton Park is one of the youngest suburbs in Wellington and was farmland until 1970.[3] The area of Churton Park near current Lakewood Avenue was originally a swamp[3] and has been recently developed into residential housing and a commercial shopping centre.[4] Since being established, it is one of the fasted growing subdivisions in Wellington, with the population expected to grow to over 12,000 over the next two decades.[5]

Geography

The topography is quite hilly and has dense bush in some areas that has not been excavated for housing sub-divisions. Steep hills extend over to the Ohariu Valley nearby. Many people may use unofficial trails to climb the surrounding hills and they are popular among thrill-seeking motorcyclists.

Weather

The micro-climate is only slightly different from that of Johnsonville, but is warmer and less windy than Wellington due to its being sheltered from Cook Strait. It rarely snows, but during winter 2011 snowfalls briefly shut down buses and closed roads, causing some students and workers to stay home for a few days.

Semi panoramic image from the surrounding hills of Churton Park

Shops

Below shops are located in Churton Park village

NewWorld Super market - Visit online @ www.newworld.co.nz/churton-park/

Churton Park Pharmacy - Visit online @ www.churtonparkpharmacy.co.nz/

Churton Park Village Vets - Visit online @ http://www.villagevets.co.nz/

Spices Indian Restaurant - Visit online @

FishnChips Takeaway Shop - Visit online @ https://www.facebook.com/TakeawayChurton/info:

Churton Park Community Centre - Visit online @ www.facebook.com/ChurtonParkCommunityCentre

The Churton Park store dairy is near Churton Drive on Middleton Road.

Land on the corner of Westchester Drive and Lakewood Avenue has been developed into a shopping centre, with a New World supermarket, café, pharmacy, medical centre, hairdresser, vet, real estate agency, fish and chip shop and other food outlets. It is estimated that the shopping centre could employ up to 150 people, either full or part-time, when at maximum capacity.

A garden shop and a cafe are on Middelton Road in Glenside.

Community Association

Churton Park Community Association Inc The Churton Park Community Association (CPCA) was founded back in 1977 as an advocacy group for the residents of the then new suburb of Churton Park. The suburb has grown significantly since this time and the Association continues to be a strong voice for the people of the Churton Park. The objectives of the Association as outlined in our constitution are:-

To provide an Association in which Churton Park residents can combine and work together to establish and further the recreational, social, cultural and service needs for the betterment of the community. To encourage public interest in the Association. To be non-party political and non-sectarian in all its activities and deliberations. To get in contact with us phone one of your committee members directly.

Churton Park Community Centre Facility

Education

School enrollment zones

Churton Park is within the enrollment zones for Onslow College, Newlands College, St Oran's College, Raroa Normal Intermediate and Churton Park School.[6]

Primary schools

Churton Park has two state primary schools that cater for pupils up to Year 6. Churton Park School on Churton Drive is an established school, and the roll has rapidly increased over the years. To accommodate these increases, there were many renovations to the buildings between 1997 and 2007. In 2006, to help manage roll growth, the School Board proposed an amendment to the zoning policy/area. This was heatedly debated in the community as the proposal would have removed several long-standing streets from the Zone. The associated community concern, protest action and lobbying by the Campaign for Local Schooling and parent feedback resulted in the announcement by the Ministry of Education in 2007 that a new, larger, school site would be developed in the area.[7] On 17 March 2009, Minister of Education Anne Tolley announced that a second primary school would be built in the area instead.[8]

Amesbury School on Amesbury Drive opened at the start of 2012. It has over 80 pupils and is growing. The hall was opened in May by Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown.

Preschool

There is a little school on Melksham Drive off Westchester Drive and a kindergarten next to Churton Park School.

Mining

There are historic gold mining shafts in the area. Tawa Flats All Luck Gold Mining Company shafts of 1881 included one now buried beneath Erlestoke Crescent.[9][10]

Public Transport

The suburb is serviced by scheduled bus services provided by Mana Coach Services. Route 54 runs to Johnsonville Hub, Wellington Railway Station and Courtenay Place. There is a regular bus service north to Tawa and Porirua.

References

External links

Coordinates: 41°12′30″S 174°48′29″E / 41.208355°S 174.80819°E