Hamilton North - Te Rapa – Pukete: Recreational Ring
Name Te Rapa for this part of the city needs to be allowed to change. Pukete appears to have had the longest history in this area. Pukete was named in the ferry crossing (Waipa Map 1864) in the golden years (1840-50s) of the Waikato, and Pukete Pa is also identifiable (* page 36 ). The Te Rapa Brand feels the strongest. ‘In regard to Te Rapa Pa, [Link to post on Te Rapa Pa] a most important feature to note is that it was located close to what is now Hamilton Hospital and not at the northern area of the city now known as Te Rapa. This confusion over the correct location of “Te Rapa” arose because of a mistake made by early European surveyors and map makers in 1870 which was perpetuated from then onwards" (* page 55). Then there is the Hamilton North School in the centre of the area. For this post I am calling the area Hamilton North.
*“Nga Tapuwae O Hotumauea” MAORI LANDMARKS ON RIVERSIDE RESERVES Management Plan April 2003
Hamilton has a long history of creating paths that do not connect. This is no different in the recreational paths around Hamilton North. A new path has been built from Minogue Drive car park into Minogue Park for the dog park, which only leaves a 100m gap to the Miniature Trains path from Tui Avenue.
This connection has been in the planning for over 30 years, as the image below from the 1988 bike plan shows.
