Shipton Reserve is a neighbourhood park at 18 Eleanor Place in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, with a 4.1 rating on Google. A good suburban reserve lives or dies on the basics: mown grass you can play on, a playground with something for toddlers as well as bigger kids, and a shady bench or two. Most local parks are managed by Auckland Council, and dog access rules change from reserve to reserve, so it pays to check the sign at the gate. Regulars know the rhythm — quiet on weekday mornings, at their busiest after school and on weekends — and that in a New Zealand summer the shaded corners are the first to go. After heavy rain, give the grass a day or two to dry out before a proper kick-about. For Blockhouse Bay locals, Shipton Reserve is the kind of green space you walk to on a whim rather than plan a trip around.