Sea+City Projects, Auckland, New Zealand

Update from the Chief Executive and Project Director, September 2009

We have continued to make good progress in the last few months on the design aspects of those parts of the redevelopment of Wynyard Quarter which it is hoped will be completed in time for the Rugby World Cup (RWC) beginning in September 2011.

This includes a truly civic dimensioned promenade, new buildings on a repaired and rebuilt North Wharf, landscaped and planted public spaces along Jellicoe Street, a substantial urban park featuring the former cement silos, and the start of revitalising the interface with Westhaven Marina as the first phase of providing new on the water facilities needed by the superyacht refit business.

We have been working on repairing and rebuilding North Wharf for about eight months, and hope to begin work on the ground in the new year on the buildings on North Wharf , which will go on either side of the old Red Shed.

In addition, we are acting as project director for the construction of the interim bridge which will link Te Wero Island with Wynyard Quarter, allowing east/west pedestrian movement along the waterfront, and enabling Aucklanders and tourists to travel freely between Wynyard Quarter and the CBD waterfront areas. This, together with other Auckland City Council projects, including the Marine Events Centre, are also programmed for completion in time for the RWC 2011.

All of this work on the waterfront combined will give Auckland a waterfront and city to be proud of when an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 overseas visitors arrive, along with visitors from all over New Zealand.

Each area of the waterfront will have its own unique character and attractions. Wynyard Quarter will provide a family-oriented area on the waterfront, with new public spaces, playgrounds, water access, the silo park area and the ability to enjoy a working waterfront with fishing boats, ferries and classic yachts all operating from the waterfront promenade. As well as many family-oriented activities to enjoy, there will be seafood restaurants, cafes and shopping opportunities.

We are on target to help produce a waterfront that Auckland can be proud of during the RWC 2011. The event will help draw future overseas tourists to Auckland as a result of media publicity generated by an estimated 20,000 overseas journalists who are predicted to arrive in Auckland to write about the RWC 2011, and the attractions of the host city for an international audience. It is estimated that there will be some four billion TV viewings alone during the Cup period.

The Rugby World Cup is of course only part of the reason why we want to get these first projects completed on time.

Piloting new thinking based on best industry practice from overseas in terms of sustainable urban design and to provide for locally-based industries in Wynyard Quarter, especially fishing and marine, to continue to flourish, will result in substantial economic and social benefits for not only this area but also the wider waterfront, city and region. The superyacht refit industry alone is capable of generating another $150m of overseas earnings which over the next five to 10 years could result in an additional 1500 jobs. This opportunity is only limited by the speed with which we can attract private capital to take advantage of the public money committed to infrastructure on the western edge of Wynyard Quarter.

The collaborative partnership between both councils will provide important economic stimuli in a recessionary environment where limited opportunities need to be carefully nurtured.

After years of planning, design work and consultation, there is great satisfaction that we are now approaching the construction phase for the Jellicoe Street area, where shortly people will be able to see tangible evidence of progress on the ground, linking Jellicoe Street with the rest of the Auckland CBD waterfront.

John Dalzell
Sea+City Projects Ltd
CE and Project Director