Hundreds of staff past and present gathered together last week to unveil the memorial park, in the place where the Top Jail once stood.

Together, the crowd retraced the old steps up to the Top Jail and viewed the memorial for the first time. The park was designed in partnership with mana whenua, who led the karanga and karakia.

Two plaques were unveiled, depicting a timeline of the jail going back over a hundred years, when Waikeria was a reformatory farm, and telling stories of significant events through the years. Three Totara trees planted next to the memorial were also revealed, representing mana whenua Raukawa, Ngāti Maniapoto and visitors to the land.

Standing at 3 metres tall, a large Tukutuku panel was unveiled by wāhine who had weaved the rope, including several women on staff at Waikeria. Finally, the original memorial stone dating back to 1911 was unveiled by long-serving Corrections Officers Paul Smith, who served for 50 years, and Gavin Dalziel, who served for 47 years.

General Manager Jim Watson spoke about the peaceful atmosphere that now surrounded the site: "What stood out to me as we walked up here was the silence, the bird song, and it felt like we were at peace," he said. "This memorial is a permanent reminder of whānau who worked and spent time in this place. Some came here as strangers, but now have lifelong associations."

The ceremony was closed with waiata and a stunning rendition of the Waikeria haka. Many staff then walked through the open field and reminisced about their time working in the Jail. An impressive morning tea was catered by prisoners from different Units, who spent days preparing for this significant event.

Paul, who retired earlier this year, said it was a great opportunity "to have that final closure and just to see some old faces as well". Gavin, whose two children were born while they lived in the Waikeria Village, said he loved his career at Corrections: "I spend 47 years here and I would not have exchanged that for any other career. I loved it, I loved the people on both sides of the bar. It was brilliant to work with staff you could trust."