By Alexandra Bourn
Eighteen-and-a-half hectares of industrial land at Auckland’s waterfront has been dramatically transformed.
Wynyard Quarter - the former home of tanks and storage containers - has been revitalised into a public space that expands the downtown Viaduct precinct.
Today’s opening day is only step-one of a long-term vision for the City of Sails.
The day dawned with a special karanga, and as the bridge lowered, the gateway to Auckland's new waterfront was opened.
The crowds came out to see the fresh urban environment and to take a ride on the refurbished 1920's heritage trams.
“I was on the last tram ride down Queen Street - that's showing my age!” said one tram rider.
“So this is amazing - they're back!”
Wynyard quarter is a $120 million redevelopment which expands the Viaduct by half a kilometre - and will one day connect a boulevard from the eastern ports to Westhaven Marina.
Ex-Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey was at the opening.
“Beautiful trees, wonderful walking space, this is, well, this is the new Auckland. Starting today.”
With nine new restaurants, an events centre, concert stages and playgrounds; Prime Minister John Key is certain this will be the hub of Auckland's Rugby World Cup entertainment.
“[There is] a lot of people here, and there will be an enormous number of events both here, at Viaduct Events Centre, displayed here at Wynyard Quarter and obviously over at the Cloud,” he said.
“So it's going to have a real party and buoyant atmosphere about it.”
Seventy-nine percent of overseas tourists are expected to visit the quarter, but today's opening also scored points with the locals.
“It's well overdue. Prior to this, really, we never came to the CBD because there was nothing here really,” says local mum Julie Harrison.
The quarter transforms the seaside into an urban cultural space, with a theatre and hotel next on the list.
Further down the track a huge park will be planted and there are plans for an iconic building at the very tip of the peninsula – a building that will become synonymous with Auckland in the same way the Opera House is to Sydney.
3 News