Subscribe to RSSAuckland’s Year In Transition
AKT expanded to cover some Auckland issues in 2010 - and just as well as the transition to a Super City council and the plans for transport in the new council were the hot topics.
It certainly felt like a city in transition - and one hopefully into a better city that matches the world class look the new Mayor talks a lot about.
The Mayor’s clear victory was the big story of the year - and he celebrated at Sorrento when the results came through showing he embraced all parts of the city as “one Auckland’ and welcomed all ethnic communities that make up Auckland- a point he emphasised during his Town Hall inauguration.
Almost everything that was talked about during the year seemed to have the words RWC attached especially the phrase “in time for the RWC.”
Eden Park was finally unveiled with a popular open day enabling Aucklanders to check out the new stadium.
Even the $3m walkway at least looked stunning, despite the ongoing debate about whether it was needed or should be pedestrian-only.
Aotea Square’s big multi-million dollar re-vamp was unveiled, prompting lively debate here about whether it needed more grass or grass nearer the soundstage area. A photographic exhibition gave the square an international flavour.
Darby and Fort St began to get dug up as part of the exciting shared space developments around Auckland’s CBD while Newmarket was one step ahead with its European-style backstreets.
After a painful debate, Queens Wharf began its transition to a public space and one suitable for Party Central although one wonders how much work it will take and at what cost.
The old shed 11 was dismantled and shuffled off to storage.
While around the corner, huge plans were revealed for the old Tank Farm area to transition into a place where Aucklanders worked, lived and played.
Up the road there was disruption for motorists as the harbour bridge city exit area transitioned into a Victoria Park tunnel. The historic Rob Roy Tavern was moved slightly to make way for it - a fascinating spectacle.
Talking of tunnels, Waterview residents nervously prepared their final submissions on the Waterview Tunnel Project plans and wondered how their landscape will transition into in the next few years. The tranquil Alan Wood reserve with its popular sports fields will be unrecognisable when that happens.
Motorway development was going on at a feverish pace including the SH20 developments and the Newmarket Viaduct project, dominated by that big blue crane.
While out in South Auckland, the building of the big Manukau train line and transport hub which will be part of the new technology institute building continues - with the line going to be big news for us mid-2011.
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