Viaduct Basin

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Lighter Basin at the western edge of Viaduct Basin.

Viaduct Basin (often Viaduct Harbour) is a former commercial harbour, now turned into a development of upscale apartments, office space and restaurants located on the site of a formerly run-down area of the Freemans Bay / CBD waterfront in Auckland, New Zealand. It promoted itself by association with the 2000 America's Cup hosted by New Zealand, during which time it enjoyed considerable popularity.

1 History
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Original purpose

The Viaduct Basin is so-called because of a failed scheme by the Auckland Harbour Board in the early years of the 20th Century. As the size of ships were increasing dramatically rather than to build new wharves or dredge the harbour channels, it was proposed that cargo ships moor out in the Waitamata harbour channel and be unloaded into "lighters", small barges that would then ferry the goods to shore via the specially built wharves in the new "Viaduct Lighter Basin". The shipping companies refused to co-operate and forced the Harbour Board to engage in dredging and construct new wharves.

This left the newly completed lighter basin without a real purpose, so it was used to berth the various fishing boats and thus tidy up the appearance of the Auckland waterfront further east. Next to the Viaduct Basin a fish market and various warehouses were constructed, including Turners & Growers Ltd, the city's main produce wholesalers. The far side of the area was connected by a mechanical bridge that was able to be raised to allow the passage of fishing vessels into the basin.

[edit] New quarter

The development of the Viaduct Basin in the late 1990s as a mixed-use area of apartments and restaurants has been an uneven success. Some of the resulting buildings are very handsome, and the area was provided with a good selection of public spaces. In the basin itself are moored a colourful array of working boats and yachts, some of which are available for charter. The Auckland City Council has initiated a programme of public artworks for the area and the overall effect of the urban fabric is very attractive.

However some of the new residents of the area have objected to the use of the public spaces for events on the grounds of noise, so the attractive and expensive hard landscaping is less used than originally intended, since the area was designed as a setting for ongoing use by large crowds of people as it saw during the America's Cup in 2000. Local residents have also objected to the high prices charged by the restaurants and shops. Noise and security issues connected with the local venues and eateries are also an ongoing concern as the Viaduct Basin continues to be a popular attraction for citizens and tourists.

Adjacent to the area are the National Maritime Museum, the Tepid Baths pools, Victoria Park and the stylish Princes Wharf development. The Auckland CBD and main waterfront areas are directly to the east of the development, while State Highway 1 a short distance to the west allows connection to parts beyond.

[edit] Future plans

Auckland City, in its plans to transform the 'Tank Farm' (a large industrial wharf area further to the west) into residential and/or park areas, has stated that it will be vital to secure the western viaduct area in public ownership (as the eastern edge already is), so that the area can be managed as a single regional facility. This would require securing the America's Cup bases plus the remaining ports areas to allow public access around the entire viaduct.^[1]

A 2003 move to rename the viaduct into 'Blake Harbour' (for Sir Peter Blake, a famous New Zealand yachtsman) did not go forward.