Remember association football’s Auckland home. It stood for much of the 20th century. We are standing where Blandford Park once thrived. It was a main football ground.
Blandford Park was located in Grafton Gully. This was northeast of Grafton Bridge. It sat roughly between Whitaker Place’s northern part and the Auckland Bowls Club in Grafton Mews. Today, the site is beneath motorway on and off-ramps. The Auckland Central Motorway Junction occupies it now.
Blandford Park hosted many notable football matches. These included international fixtures. It also hosted Auckland regional finals and Chatham Cup national semi-finals.
Morgan Blandford owned the park originally. It was named for him. The park existed at least as early as 1913. In 1923, Blandford leased it to the Auckland Football Association. The lease was for 30 years. The AFA had the option to buy it outright after that.
At the time, the park was unappealing. Contemporary reports said it was swampy. It seemed to be a general dumping ground. The AFA attempted to transform Blandford Park over the next two years. They cleared the land. They added terraces that could accommodate several thousand spectators. Grafton Bridge provided easy access. The city’s main tram lines were handy too. The ground officially opened in mid 1925.
The ground’s marshiness was a major problem. It could not be easily remedied. Blandford Park was in a low-lying basin. Considerable run-off came from the surrounding hills. The AFA offered a 30-year sub-lease during football’s off-season. They leased it to the Stadium Company. This group ran cycling competitions at the ground. This added to the surface’s disrepair. The AFA tried to terminate the sub-lease but failed. Cycling and later speedway continued at Blandford Park. Other sports played at the park included softball. It was also home to the Grafton Cricket Club.
During the late 1940s, the AFA negotiated with the Auckland City Council. They wanted to purchase the park after their lease expired. The council considered the offer. They found numerous problems. The ground was an unsuitable size for public sporting uses. Drainage problems persisted. The increase in private motor vehicle use meant that it lacked parking space. It was also noted that the Grafton Gully area would likely be needed for motorway use.
A compromise was reached. The Auckland City Council acquired the lease. They sub-let it to the AFA. After a legal wrangle with the park’s owners, it became council property in 1953. It was earmarked for roading purposes. The AFA continued to use the ground as its headquarters until 1964. They then moved to Newmarket Park. The motorway’s construction turned Blandford Park into a dumping ground. It was for quarried spoil. Then it was buried beneath part of the motorway.
Blandford Park also hosted a Motor Gymkhana. This was organized by the Auckland Artillery Queen Carnival Committee. One event was football played on motorcycles by two teams of five. A Grand National Steeplechase was held. Riders crossed hurdles, a see-saw and a water jump.
Imagine the roar of the motorcycles. Picture the spills and collisions. Blandford Park was a place of excitement and community. Though gone, its memory lives on. It lives on in Auckland’s sporting history.