Waitangi Park - ceremonial start to an extreme makeover

Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast and elders from the Wellington Tenths Trust will get construction of Waitangi Park formally underway at a special early-morning ceremony at the Park onTuesday 20 July.

At dawn, kaumatua will lead invited guests into what was once known as Chaffers Park, for a whaka watea, or blessing, of the site in preparation for its transformation into Waitangi Park. 

Once the site has been blessed, work can begin.  Mayor Kerry Prendergast and Wellington Tenths Trust chairman Dr Ngatata Love will turn the first sod.

“We are very excited to have got to this last stage of preparation before the site begins its extreme makeover,” says Wellington Waterfront Ltd Chair Fran Wilde.

“Waitangi Park is the result of extensive consultation with Wellingtonians and park design experts and is certain to become Wellington’s favourite urban playground,” adds Ms Wilde.

Considered the largest new urban park construction in New Zealand in a century, Waitangi Park will be the hub of recreational activity on the city’s waterfront – linking Oriental Bay with the downtown part of the waterfront.

Construction begins in early August in the area north east of Te Papa alongside Chaffers Marina.  A wider promenade, new seawall, boardwalks and a new Waitangi Beach will be constructed in this stage.

Herd Street will also be closed to through traffic while access to the Overseas Passenger Terminal from Oriental Parade is improved as part of the Park design.

Construction of the main part of the Park is expected to be complete by the end of 2005.

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