The opening yesterday came two years after Te Atamira launched a fundraising campaign to convert a strip of land behind the facility into the space.
The successful campaign, which received support from Central Lakes Trust, Remarkables Park Town Centre, Remarkables Park Ltd and Reset Urban Design, enabled several Queenstown businesses and non-profit groups to help install shaded outdoor tables and seating, sculptures, a pump track for small children, a dedicated area for a raku ceramics kiln, and a harakeke flax garden.
Te Atamira director Ruth Heath said the project had only been possible because of a "huge community effort".
The ceremony honoured the late Roka Ngarimu-Cameron, an internationally-recognised artist and tohunga raranga (master weaver) who was instrumental in the harakeke garden before she died in June, aged 76.
One of the speakers was her husband, Kerry Cameron, who said the garden contained a special variety of harakeke with unique qualities for weaving.
The ceremony was followed by an all-day, free community carnival that included craft stations, face painting, food and coffee trucks, games and raffles.
There was also a lineup of entertainment by groups including Turn Up The Music, Silk & Circus, a Korean dance group, Highland dancers, the Remarks Dance Crew and Dance QT.
