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A Transformation is underway at Talbot Park, nestled in the heart of Auckland's Glen Innes. Once plagued by crime and social issues, the area is undergoing a remarkable renewal. Following a $48 million investment in urban revitalization, the site now accommodates 700 residents – an increase of 200 from its previous population. The renovated brick and weatherboard apartments and townhouses defy the stereotype of social housing, prompting inquiries from prospective buyers and renters. Dene Busby, Housing New Zealand housing services manager, notes that the revitalized architecture no longer resembles typical public housing. Similarly, Design Group architect Neil emphasizes the importance of dignified design, asserting that public housing need not convey a sense of cheapness.
B Talbot Park is a triangle of government-owned land bounded by Apirana Ave, Pilkington Rd and Point England Rd. In the early 1960s, it was developed for state housing built around a linear park that ran through the middle. Initially, there was a strong sense of a family-friendly community. Former residents recall how the Talbot Park reserve played a big part in their childhoods – a place where the kids in the block came together to play softball, cricket, tiggy, leapfrog and bullrush. Sometimes they’d play “Maoris against Pakehas” but without any animosity. “It was all just good fun”, says Georgie Thompson in Ben Schrader’s We Call it Home: A History of State Housing in New Zealand. “We had respect for our neighbours and addressed them by title Mr. and Mrs. so-and-so,” she recalls.
C Quite what went wrong with Talbot Park is not clear. We call it Home records that the community began to change in the late 1970s as more Pacific Islanders and Europeans moved in. The new arrivals didn’t readily integrate with the community, a “them and us” mentality developed, and residents interacted with their neighbours less. What was clear was the buildings were deteriorating and becoming dilapidated, petty crime was on the rise and the reserve – the focus of fond childhood memories – had become a wasteland and was considered unsafe.
