Just a few years ago it was the Burwood Resource Recovery center, though remedial work over the past couple of years, has transformed the area to the point where it's set to become part of Bottle Lake Forest Park.
The facility was established after the earthquakes as the city needed somewhere it could sort through the vast volumes of construction and demolition waste.
As much of the waste as possible was recycled, but some could not be re-used and remains there. It has been compacted, covered in soil and planted to create a park-like environment with walking and mountain bike tracks and areas for birdwatching.
More than 100,000 native plants have been added as part of the extensive landscaping.
The new recreation area will open to the public Monday 27 February.
