Browns Bay Village Green (11-15 Inverness Road)

Prior to the 1970s, the Village Green area presented a very different appearance. As part of the Brown estate, this area was subdivided into residential sites in 1916. Over the next sixty years, most of the sites were occupied by private homes and baches. However, at the corner of Inverness and Glen Roads, the property eventually passed into the hands of the Catholic Church.

The first Catholic Mass was held at Browns Bay on 30 November 1930 at the home of two parishioners. Only seven people attended, and the priest was borrowed from Takapuna. By the early 1930s, monthly Masses were held at a private home, with holiday Masses held at the 555 Theatre on Clyde Road. In 1937, Father J J Kelly bought the lot at the corner of Inverness and Glen Roads and hired Bob Moore of Campbells Bay to build a church. It opened on Sunday, 2 January 1938 and was dedicated to St John the Baptist by the Bishop of Auckland, Reverend J M Liston. Browns Bay became its own parish in June 1949 with Reverend John C Pierce appointed its first priest.

The opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959 led to the rapid growth of Browns Bay. The little 120-person capacity church could not contain the number of devout Catholics moving to the area, and the streets could not hold all of their automobiles. A new facility including a school, convent, and hall were built in Mairangi Bay, the latter of which from 26 June 1961 was used to hold Sunday Mass. The old church was eventually demolished in the 1970s and a new church was built at Mairangi Bay, which opened on 11 September 1994.

The bridge opening prompted other developments in Browns Bay. More people meant recreational facilities were needed. With this in mind, the East Coast Bays Borough Council began redeveloping the area. Dwellings and the church gave way to a recreation hall, library, old folks association clubrooms, and other community buildings while the grounds were attractively landscaped. The green is a well-used recreation space hosting a number of public events each year including the annual Teddy Bears Picnic.

Cross Glen Road at the protected crossing and turn left. Continue to the end of Glen Road, and then turn right along Anzac Road.