"It's quite a surprise when you come down here because it is so hidden, quiet and private. It's kind of like living on a village common," Matt says. "We know most of our neighbours around here and we have things like annual drinks in the park at Christmas."
And another bonus, as Matt points out: "We've got the biggest front lawn in Ponsonby and we don't have to mow it."
While the outlook was great, matt and his wife mary were determined to improve the humble two-storey home they bought in 2008.
After living in the "slightly poky two-bedroom home" for four years, they engaged architect Glen Cornwell "to make it a good comfortable family home with warmth and light".
With two children, they needed more room and a variety of indoor and outdoor living spaces.
So they had the main floor extended, excavated for a basement level, and had a deck built overlooking the park, as well as creating a patio and landscaping the gardens.
Matt says the previous owner had added the top floor in the 1990s so Glen's brief was also to unify the look of the renovated and extended home. This is something he has achieved by using gabled rooflines and a clever arrangement of windows, particularly on the western facade overlooking the park.
Matt says his neighbour, who shares the cross lease title, also had Glen Cornwell design a revamp of her home at the same time so that the homes were "sympatico".
He says that early on a decision was made to excavate deeper under the house to give the basement level a higher stud.
"It was at vast expense," says Matt, "but it was worth it for the sense of space and light down here."
A dedicated, soundproofed media room occupies a large part of the floor area along with a bedroom and a tiled bathroom.
The media room opens to a west-facing covered patio, while the bedroom opens out to a petanque area, a feature Matt insisted on.
Upstairs the main floor features a double-height lounge space that opens to a professionally landscaped courtyard with wood shed tucked in one corner. A spa pool sits privately in the opposite corner and has a view over the park.
Matt says a lot of thought went into making the house practical for things such as taking the dog for a walk, with secure fencing but easy access to the park. A separate laundry was created so that wet and muddy gear (or animals) could be sorted out before entering the house.
Moving the laundry out of the kitchen created more space here, with a breakfast bar between it and the dining area, which opens to a glass balustraded deck that is ideal for an evening drink and watching the sunset or goings-on in the park.
On this level there are two more bedrooms on the northern side of the house and a bathroom.
Upstairs the master suite includes an en suite, walk-in wardrobe and opens to a balcony with wide views over the reserve. An adjoining lounge completes the top floor and Matt used it for office space for a while.
The driveway has also been upgraded to provide a better connection with the street and more parking.
With his wife Mary having passed away, Matt feels it is time to move on - especially as the school and social lives of his two teenage children now revolve around the eastern suburbs.
