As part of a larger development, a park in Hamilton, New Zealand, was dedicated by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday 17 June.
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The park is one element of a larger development of the area surrounding the Church’s Hamilton New Zealand Temple.
Legacy Park, as it is called, provides a serene, contemplative environment including many mature trees, acres of open space, landscaped areas, lakes and wood walkways.
Through life-size structures (pavilions) representing the houses of the labour missionaries who constructed the temple and other buildings in the area, the park expresses gratitude and remembers their contribution.
Placards located in these pavilions tell the story of the land on which the park is located, the purpose of the park and the stories of some of the labour missionaries.
One placard tells the purpose of the park: “This Legacy Park further adds to feelings of serenity (associated with the adjacent Hamilton Temple) and protects the sacredness and beauty of the temple surroundings."
It continues: “This park preserves the area’s cultural and spiritual heritage and inspires quiet recreation and reverent contemplation. It encourages gratitude and respect for those who have gone before; the history of the land; and the way so many lives have been blessed here.”
The area where the Temple View project is located is acknowledged as being part of the traditional rohe (territory) of Ngāti Māhanga. Originally known as Koromatua, this area, now called Temple View, was formally Koronga Matua nā Puhaanga – the sacred stone of Puhaanga. Puhaanga was the first Tainui child born in Aotearoa and Māhanga was a direct descendant of Puhaanga, as are many of the Waikato tribes.
Latter-day Saint descendants of many of these neighbouring tribes over the centuries, also feel a sacred connection to this Ngāti Māhanga rohe where the temple has stood since 1958.
Ngāti Māhanga left Koromatua after the Crown confiscation of lands in the 1860s and took up residence on their lands at Whatawhata, Waitetuna and other places.
The park has been built on a portion of land purchased from James Williamson and is located on the northwest corner of what was once known as Rukuhia swamp. In 1949 the Church purchased from Bert Meldrum a portion of the land originally owned by Williamson for construction of a coeducational secondary school and six years later purchased more adjacent land for the temple.
To remember and honour the contribution of the labour missionaries, some of their memories are inscribed on the placards.
Hemi offered this memory: “When I was 17, my grandmother sent me to the project with my brothers and cousins. We arrived as boys – learned skills that would set us on career and gospel paths, and left two years later not just as men, but men of God. To come to know our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ through sacrifice and service was the most precious and valuable learning in our entire labour missionary experience.”
Joe Apiti recalled, “I spent five years on a labour mission and I still remember this as the most joyous time of my life.”