The city council grants priority to the Wellington United Football club for weekend bookings during the winter season, and priority to Athletics Wellington for weekend bookings during the summer season, and for weekdays outside of school hours.[2][3]
The main arena has a 400-metre, all-weather rubberized athletics track around it, as well as spectator stands and a function room. A second, rectangular pitch (Newtown Park 2) is located to the south of the main arena.
Newtown Park was built in 1881 and was part of Wellington Zoo. The first match played there was an international rugby game where Wellington beat New South Wales 14–2 drawing 5,000 spectators including then Governor Sir James Prendergast. It was the main ground for rugby in Wellington until Athletic Park was opened in 1896. Newtown Park has also been used to house New Zealand troops before they departed for the Boer War, World War I and World War II.[4]
The #1 pitch was re-developed in 2011 to function as a training venue for teams competing in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. During the tournament, football events were relocated to other venues.
Newtown Park was selected as one of the Wellington training venues for use by national representative teams during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. As part of preparations for hosting these events, the Wellington City Council made improvements to the Newtown Park facilities, including renovation of both turf fields, the installation of floodlights in the main arena, and upgrades of the showers and changing rooms.[5]
School athletics events held at Newtown Park include the McEvedy Shield competition, an annual athletics series between four Wellington boys schools.[14] It is also used by many other schools, and school sports associations as a place to stage in-house athletics events.[15]
The Kiwi Athletic Club has their base at Newtown Park.
Newtown Park also occasionally serves as a community events centre for the surrounding area, and has hosted cultural events such as Carols by Candlelight.[16]
^Not to be confused with Wellington Phoenix FC - Wellington Phoenix United was a team composed of some Phoenix FC players and prominent members of the Wellington football community
Wellington, New Zealand
