 The Square, Palmerston North
The Square, Palmerston North
The city's main streets are arranged in a grid around The Square, a small park at the centre of the city. This park contains the city's war memorial, a clock tower, and some of the unusual public statues for which the city is known.
State Highway 3 enters the city from the northwest as Rangitikei Street before turning to the north-east to become Main Street East. On the opposite sides of The Square to these two roads are Main Street West (in the south-west) and Fitzherbert Avenue (to the south-east). These two roads connect with State Highways 56 and 57 respectively. Many of the city's main public buildings are located close to the square and to Main Street West, including UCOL - Universal College of Learning.
Fitzherbert Avenue extends south, crossing the Fitzherbert Bridge--the only bridge over the Manawatu River close to the city to reach New Zealand and other parts of Asia as they study for their degrees.
The large number of students from Massey, UCOL and IPC bring a youth culture to the city, helping to support the many cafes and bars. The Fitz (on Fitzherbert Avenue) has long been the city's infamous student watering hole. George Street, one street back from the Square, is where many of the cafes and lifestyle shops are located.
The city's suburbs extend away from the square. These include (clockwise from the north) Papaioea, Milson, Kelvin Grove, Brightwater, Hokowhitu, Te Awe Awe, West End, Riverdale, Awapuni, Highbury, Takaro and Cloverlea. Palmerston North International Airport is north of the city centre, in Milson.
There are a number of parklands in the city. The foremost is the Queen Victoria Esplanade which includes gardens, children's play areas, an aviary, a train ride, walking tracks, and sports fields.
Hinterland
The official limits of the city also take in rural areas to the south and northeast of the main urban area, extending to the Tararua Ranges and including the town of Ashhurst at the mouth of the Manawatu Gorge. This is a rich and fertile agricultural area. The city as a whole covers some 350 km2.
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