Timeline for Glenside Reserve (Section 23)
1839 Maori walking trail across hills connecting Petone-Korokoro-Takapu-Porirua and Porirua-Takapu-to Ohariu and Makara (through Glenside) and Paparangi-to Ohariu and Makara (through Glenside). The New Zealand Company offers for sale, one acre town sections and 100 acre country sections. The future Glenside Reserve is on Section 23.
c1841 Accommodation offered in a private home which became known as the Halfway House.
1846-1849 Halfway House marked on Section 23 on a map by military men building the road to Porirua.
1866 Halfway House is a Mail Coach destination between Porirua and Wellington.
1880 Existing (new) Halfway House built by horseman Alexander Brown and is named Gowan Bank.
1885 Railway construction across Section 23 and railway viaduct construction across neighbouring Section 21. In the future, the railway land is used for motorway construction.
1891 Old Halfway House burns down.
1901 Gowan Bank and Section 23 sold by Browns. The property is then leased.
WWI Section 23 purchased by Watt family, well-known in Wellington for farming and construction.
c1917 Crown purchases half the land. Watt family retain the house and land across the main road which they will subdivide to become the future Glenside Village.
1927 Public works camp established on Section 23 and Section 21 for 300 railway workers constructing railway tunnel.
1928 Locality name officially changes from Halfway House/The Halfway to Glenside.
1929 James Patrick Morris, Tunneller, Miner, killed falling down Railway lift shaft. Buried in Karori.
1936 Railways move onto Homer tunnel. Nine-hole Glenside Golf Course opens. Glenside Tennis Club is formed. Halfway House is used for Golf Club meetings.
WWII Land used for Army Camp. Public excluded.
1950 Motorway opens. It's constructed on former railway land and slices through Glenside farms.
1951 Victoria College (Victoria University) extends onto Town Belt land. Wellington City Council purchase the Halfway House and its associated land with Crown funds paid in compensation for the encroachment. Council intends using the land as a reserve.
1961-1989 Glenside sewerage treatment plant established on Glenside Reserve.
1989 Dispute between Parks and Reserves and other City Council Departments over the future use of Glenside Reserve. Land approved for lease to Newlands/Paparangi Riding Club in 1989.
1990 Audit Office findings are that Section 23 land purchase was intended as a reserve and proper process for public consultation must be followed.
2002 Blessing of the streams hosted by Glenside Progressive Association with Ngati Toa and St John Anglican Church.
2004 Wellington City Council commission Glenside Reserve Future Options report and draft Conservation Plan for Halfway House.
2007 Halfway House listed on the Wellington District Plan as an historic site and building.
2010 First community streamside restoration planting at Halfway House. Memorandum of Understanding between Wellington City Council and Glenside Progressive Association Inc. signed.
2014 Halfway House section is changed from recreation reserve to historic reserve per section 18 of the Reserves Act 1977. Halfway House Heritage Gardeners established. Wellington City Council commission Halfway House Landscape Plan.
2017 Official opening of the restored Halfway House.
2021 Halfway House public rooms opened for hire.
2023 - 2024 Glenside Progressive Association host walks with local authority officials, Glenside residents and wider community on Glenside Reserve.