Auckland CBD news

 
Welcome to the November city centre e-newsletter.

This month we update you on some of the upgrades in the city centre, ask for your feedback and share some outstanding results about places that have already been transformed. We hope you share our pride and excitement about the upgrades that are taking place. The city centre is Auckland's engine room - our window to the world - and is integral to being the world's most liveable city, so we want to create a people-focussed and high quality city centre that will unlock its full potential and attract internationally competitive jobs and opportunities for the whole region.

November 2012

HIGHLIGHTS AND FEATURED:

We're transforming Federal Street

Shared spaces performing on all levels

Grafton Gully Cycleway

Auckland takes top honours at NZ Urban Design awards

Christmas in the city centre

In short - a couple more things

We're transforming Federal Street.

We're transforming Federal Street

Would you like to enjoy a pedestrian-friendly walk along laneways from Mayoral Drive all the way to the waterfront, stopping off at stunning public plazas along the way? The next step in this ‘city centre laneway circuit’ is underway with a number of high quality upgrades proposed to Federal Street and the area around the Sky Tower. We would like your feedback on the designs. Please let us know what you think – the online survey should only take a couple of minutes and consultation has been extended until 30 November.

Shared spaces performing on all levels

Shared spaces performing on all levels

It’s official – shared spaces benefit businesses as well as being safer and more inviting. According to an in-depth survey of Fort Street shared space, hospitality spend has increased by more than 400 per cent, foot traffic has increased by 50 percent during peak hours, vehicle speeds have reduced by more than 25 percent and 75 percent of property owners in the area feel it is valuable being sited near or adjacent to a shared space. More details on shared spaces and the full report can be found here.

Grafton Gully Cycleway.

Grafton Gully Cycleway

On Thursday 15 November a dawn blessing marked the start of construction on the Grafton Gully Cycleway which will provide an almost entirely off-road cycle route from Te Atatu, in West Auckland, to Auckland’s city centre and waterfront. This joint project by NZTA, Auckland Transport and Auckland Council is an extension of the Northwestern Cycleway and aims to ‘connect the city centre with its suburbs in the city fringe' and provide safe (and pleasurable) travel alternatives to Aucklanders. The completion date is May 2014. Read more on the City Centre Masterplan website.

Auckland takes top honours at NZ Urban Design Awards

A great day for Auckland’s quest to be a world leader in urban design as two Auckland projects scooped the top awards at the inaugural NZ Urban Design Awards on Thursday 8 November. Jellicoe Precinct at Wynyard Quarter won the Built Projects award and the City Centre Masterplan 2012 won the Envisaging Projects category (planning). Entries went back 10 years and other entries included the Christchurch rebuild 100-day plan and the Wellington Waterfront. Read more here.

Christmas in the city centre.

Christmas in the city centre

Christmas activities start in the city from late November, with Santa’s installation on Whitcoulls corner commencing on 9 November, the newly commissioned Queen Street decorations going in on 19/20 November and the Farmers Santa Parade on 25 November. The big Telecom Xmas tree will be going up at Victoria Park Market and Waterfront Auckland are constructing a huge advent calendar on the gantry in Wynyard Quarter. Check out our event calendar for more event information.

In short - a couple more things

The upgrades on Rutland Street and Lorne Street (outside Senior College) are due for completion in the week commencing 19 November.

Check out this video created by Heart of the City - 'A Day in the Life of the BIG little City', which they say 'captures a sense of the moments and places of the living, breathing, changing place that is our city'.

If you want to get to the gym before the silly season really sets in, join the Tepid Baths gym (and all council operated gyms) for no joining fee and no contract from 29 October until 25 November. 

Sara Parkin is our last international speaker this year on 28 November as part of the free ‘Auckland Conversations’ events. Register here where you can also see previous events via webinar. 

Liquor ban areas across Auckland including the central city have been expanded as part of council's campaign to reduce anti-social behaviour in the city. New areas include Victoria Park, Wynyard Quarter and Symonds Street Cemetery. A full list of liquor ban areas is available here.

In the next month we will be starting to ask for your thoughts on Freyburg Square. We want to know how you use the space and what you would like it to be used for – keep an eye on the CCMP website for updates.

Auckland Council.