Hard News: On the Waterfront
239 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 5 6 7 8 9 10 Newer→ Last
-
seems it's inconsistent from what I can tell
Matt, probably best to ask Russell - we reported some of the behaviour a while ago and he can relay that.
-
A beach
where-ever I go
cool tide sufficient waves
marvellous towels
clean sand and good water and
the best sashimi ashore- -
A swim in the tide.
At lunchtime.
That would be cool.
And unique.I took a dip in the waterfront tide once.
After a dragon-boat race.
I stank of diesel.
For some time. -
Tim Watkins questions the wisdom of betting the house on the ailing cruise ship industry (with lush illustration from the Atlantic).
Can't we dream bigger than making room for another 30-odd cruise ships and welcoming another few thousand rich, elderly Americans?
-
you will stand and watch
but summer brings need for swim
two men died trying -
Chris Trotter's Independent response to the Metro cheerleading story is relayed on the valuable IHI blog.
The article begins with the picture of a region suffering from “economic underperformance, blighted urban planning and social dysfunction” – all of it, Wilson implies, the dystopic residue of incompetent “local fiefdoms”. He has to do this, of course, because if it could be proved that Auckland’s multiple afflictions (if they exist at all) are in no way the fault of its local authorities, then the whole rationale for Hide’s “Super-City” disappears.
But, this is precisely what Auckland’s history does; it completely explodes both Hide’s and the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance’s arguments for collapsing local democracy into regional “governance”. The city’s woes, going back to, and beyond, 1865, have almost always arisen out of Auckland businessmen’s determination to turn politics into profit.
Whether it be Thomas Russell, fomenting war with the Maori king to expedite his company’s land-grabbing; or the powerful “development” business nexus, which spawned the sprawling, car-dependent culture of post-war Auckland; or the mirror-glass speculators, who tore down what remained of the city’s graceful Victorian architecture in the deregulated 80s; it has always been that fateful combination of greed and ambition (both local and national) which made Greater Auckland so much less than it could have – should have – been.
-
people have always died
swimming
some die happyor, at least,
replete
on shore- -
So after Peak Oil when people and goods can no longer afford to fly in and out of NZ and the only option is by sea whether that is on some sort of steamer or modern sailing type vessels, where are they going to dock? This is considering that transporting them from some dock elsewhere won't be cheap either, so right next to the train station and the ferries would be good.
That is all considering the sense in pouring money into a development on a waterfront when the word on expected sea level rises due to global warming get worse and worse as we see how well all that meltwater is lubricating the glaciers.
I'm not trying to rain on your party space Russ, but are you just going to party like there really is no tomorrow?
Just sayin'
-
Waterfront development might be fun and games now, but in 10-20 years we're going to need those wharves back, to fulfil their original purpose - handling freight, after the death of long distance trucking. We'll need warehouses and railway lines, not Party Central and walkways - and we'll need sleazy boarding houses and grungy pubs for the sailors too.
-
@Gregor Ronald
It's not just the need for wharves, over the last few decades the railways have closed and sold off for development most of the large marshalling and goods yards as they lost trade to the truckers. That land is now all built over. I have no idea where they are going to marshall the necessary goods trains in the future either.
We have lost the art of planning for the medium term, the long term went a long time ago.
-
As far as I understand, economic theory says capital spending on large projects is a good thing during a recession.
You can find an "economic theory" to justify absolutely anything. Meanwhile, nice to John Banks being [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10578709l|unexpectedly candid]]:
Mr Banks said strengthening the wharf and building first-class cruise ships facilities, open spaces and other possibilities, like a home for the Auckland Theatre Company, could cost more than $100 million.
Whatever option was chosen would end up being paid for by all Aucklanders through the new Super City, he said.
And nice to see Local Government New Zealand pointing out the 'do what I say, but don't say what I do' hypocrisy in play here.
"The speed of the Government's purchase of Queens Wharf in Auckland has raised the eyebrows of our council members, given the recent discussion on the role of local government," Kerry Prendergast, Vice-President of Local Government New Zealand said today.
"There is a certain irony in the Minister of Local Government promoting more transparency for councils while the Prime Minister is busy purchasing land with the Auckland Regional Council for a party for the Rugby World Cup, without any consultation with the community".
-
JLM,
Re the statue, thanks Hilary. I'll be in Wellington next month, so I'll seek it out and find out how much it's shrunk!
-
BTW, where's the Auckland Transition Authority in all this? I can't see how anyone could credibly argue that there's no ongoing financial impact on the new Council. Banksie's pretty much promised it.
-
JLM - Trethewy's 1939 statue is still impressive as an example of the era, but definitely smaller. Kupe's wife is now pointing out to sea. Near historic floating crane Hikitia and boating club. It is one of many public artworks on the waterfront.
-
Sorry, correct link from WCC is here
-
@Rich of Observationz:
In other news, they're going to build a motorway through Taupiri mountain. Who could possibly object?
@ChrisW: I was being facietious. I don't believe that even Rodney Hide would dig a cut & cover (we'll put the bodies back after) trench through there.
They're going round the backI could detect the two facies of the second sentence, but not the first, nor apparently did others here with an interest in the subject so far from Auckland. So not an enriching observation, and the motivation obscure.
-
J. O. K. E.
-
That land is now all built over. I have no idea where they are going to marshall the necessary goods trains in the future either.
Once the Fibre Network is built, goods will travel by Internet.
-
J. O. K. E.
Sure, but you'd grant that its not a subject most Tainui would have a sense of humour about?
-
None of these were anywhere the entertainment landscape of the 20th century, but once they arrived there was one stadium able to cash in on it.
I felt the same way about the would-be Stadium New Zealand in Auckland -- although I'd have been inclined to add value with decent conference facilities. Far more so than the Wellington stadium, it would have worked for a wide range of social activities. Imagine a wedding in a room on the Eastern side, looking out to the Gulf, for example.
And I do suspect that, even given the qualms about its cost now, Dunedinites will find plenty of uses for a stadium with a roof.
Re Dunedin. Exactly.
Especially since it's likely to be the only indoor stadium in the country for 25 years (no science in that prediction)
So it's the old competitive advantage situation like Wellington currently has with outdoor events as mentioned earlier.
So think Tua v Cameron, an annual beer fest, circus de soliel, take the Edinburgh Tatoo off Wgtn etc...
-
I was very close to posting r.i.c.h.a.r.d. in reply, but that would be too close to quasi-paralipsis.
-
I hope that the development plans for Queens Wharf start off asking the simple question of "what would get people to flock to this area on a sunny summer's Sunday afternoon?" and then go from there.
I suspect that something as simple as a large, grassy, open space would do the tricky excellently. Somewhere for people to play a bit of 'park cricket' (see if you can hit the ball into the harbour) or a bit of touch rugby, while others sit around on blankets and have picnics. Have a CRAP LOAD of seating around the edge of the wharf, so people can enjoy the view, and perhaps a world-class sculpture and/or fountain at the far end to encourage people out to the end of it.
-
Hilary - someone's nicked the Hikitia.
Well, it's off for a refit, anyway. Waterfront looks very empty without it.
-
Totally agree jarbury but I would add, A Bus Station.
And as I said before, the cruise ship terminal only needs to be minimal as long as it links to proper transport and feels "welcoming" -
And everything very accessible for those who use wheelchairs, or have vision impairment etc.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.