Cooks Gardens is a multi-purpose sports ground in the city centre that contains both an athletics track and a wooden velodrome — one of the few combined facilities of this type still functioning in New Zealand. It is best known internationally as the place where Peter Snell set his world mile record in 1962, but the velodrome has also hosted world-class track cycling events.
The grounds are usually open for casual use. The wooden velodrome banking is steep enough to be startling; the athletics track is in regular use by the local athletics club. The park setting around the grounds is pleasant for a morning walk.