Mary Atkin Reserve is a park in Kohimarama, Auckland, rated 4.8 on Google and listed on Auckland Council's parks pages.
The best suburban reserves act as a neighbourhood's shared backyard: open grass for a kick-about, a shady corner for a picnic, a bench for watching the afternoon go by. What's on offer varies widely from one reserve to the next, so it pays to check the council's park page before setting out if you need a playground, toilets or a barbecue. Locals usually get the timing right — early mornings for a quiet walk, late afternoons for the cool of the shade. In a beachside suburb like this, a reserve also makes a natural stop on a longer wander, with the bays along Tamaki Drive close at hand.
Mary Atkin Reserve gives Kohimarama just that: a well-rated patch of green in a neighbourhood built around its coastline.