Waiatarau Freemans Bay Park is a public park on Hepburn Street in Freemans Bay, central Auckland, and it holds a perfect 5.0 Google rating. A park like this is the neighbourhood's shared backyard: Freemans Bay's villas and apartment blocks sit on tight sections, so a patch of open green within walking distance gets used as a dog-walking loop, a lunch-break escape and somewhere for children to run about. Auckland's dog rules differ from park to park, so it pays to read the council signage at the gate before unclipping a lead. Small neighbourhood parks are at their best early and late in the day, when dog walkers and neighbours pass through and the summer sun is kinder. Flat, shady, well-drained ground and a decent seat or two are what keep people coming back. Tucked into Freemans Bay's leafy streets a short walk from the city, this is the kind of small green space locals quietly come to rely on.