The local community has a strong relationship with the park, organising and participating in events on the grounds, providing feedback to the council and voicing concerns.

The park is situated on what was historically ancestral land of Te Kawerau a Maki until a crown grant of 536 acres (217 ha) was purchased in 1855 by the Parrs, regarded as one of the earliest Pākehā families to settle in the area.

[3] On 15 April 1969, a councillor answered a claim in a letter to the local newspaper that "women bowlers had not been considered in pleas for the park development", and said that the Oratia Bowling Club had shown a lot of initiative, and "the County Council would welcome similar initiative on the part of other sporting organisations, including women bowlers...[concluding]...there [was] plenty of room at Parrs Park".

It also reported that the John Waititi Memorial Marae was under construction and the Waitemata Table Tennis and the Oratia Bowling clubs had expressed interest and surveyed the grounds.

[10] In the same year a journalist reported that it was likely the $20 million combined aquatic and ice centre at the park would be signed off with a goal of having the facilities open by 2012.

[12] In 2010, The Waitakere Council noted the extensive use of the park for soccer, serving as the home to the Oratia United Football Club and recorded that summer sports on the fields included cricket and kilikiti on three pitches at the time, one artificial and one a roll-up.

It was noted that the changing demographics in the area recognised that the significant Chinese and Asian populations in West Auckland are attracted to the familiarity of a sport that is hugely popular in their homelands...[and because]..."these ethnic groups are under-represented as participants in more traditional New Zealand sports, table tennis provides an important avenue for them to be physically active, healthy, and involved in their community".

[30] Following elections in October 2016, the entire Waitakere Ranges Local Board was composed of the Future West team and one of their priorities was the development of the shared pathway from Oratia to Parrs Park.

[32] The Board's plan for 2020, further clarified the governance role as being to engage with and represent their communities, and make decisions on local activities, noting the goals for that year included aiming for well maintained, accessible parks, facilities and public spaces.

[40] During Youth Week,[41] on 22 May 2019 Parrs Park hosted "3 on 3 b-ball competition, music, performances, graf art...[and]...free siva, box fit and hip hop dance classes".

[44] In 2009 some Glen Eden residents expressed anger at the tagging and vandalism that was happening at the park, mentioning graffiti and bush that was littered with bottles and cans.

Mike Hayes the chairman at the time of Oratia United Football Club that used the ground as its home base, noted that it was a 'big park and some parts are very secluded...[and]...unless there [were] other place for youths to go, the problem will continue".

[45] After installation of the artificial turf in 2011 which had meant the grounds were in use in the evenings, in the Auckland Council lodged a resource consent application in 2013 to raise the allowed noise level.

Goodburn noted [that] "this field gives us the ability to reach out to young people and get them involved in sports and that's a big goal of ours because it's far better for them to be playing football than out causing trouble".

[13] Although the noise levels at the time exceeded those permitted by the council, another resident said in a letter to the New Zealand Herald that "this seems ridiculous to me as the fields have always been there and these people bought their homes knowing sports were played there".

[46] When commissioners managing the resource application said that while "they considered it was in the interests of the wider community that adequate use was made of such an important facility...[they were]... conscious of the fact that any use of the turf has the potential to exceed the permitted activity noise standards".

[48] In 2021 residents of Glen Eden and the Waitakere Ranges Local Board expressed concern when David Parker the New Zealand Environmental Minister accepted an application by a construction company through the COVID-19 Recovery (fast-track consenting) Act 2020[49] to build 246 units on a site close to Parrs Park.

Greg Presland, Waitakere Ranges Local Board chairman, said he was "worried about transport implications...[that would]... lead to further traffic congestion on West Coast Rd...[raising]...concerns for Parrs Park as it was pretty heavily utilised".