Maximus

We’re part of the way through the public “consultation” phase of the NZTA schemes for “improvements” around the Basin Reserve, and so far we’ve only heard one side of the story. For whatever reasons, political, Machiavellian, or incompetence, only the “two options” have been proffered to the public by the roading lobby. That’s a real pity – as I’ve noted already, and which Scoop picked up…

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Maximus

A change from the discussions of roading and anti-roading, to talk instead about another part of urban living: the sounds of the city. Last night the people who live near the Eye of the Fish Towers in Wellington, were woken from their slumbering reverie by the pitch perfect notes of a tenor saxophone in full flirty flight – is there anything more evocative than the sound…

Maximus

After a couple of posts looking at the proposed concretisation of the car’s dominance over nature, with a 6 lane highway racing through Haitaitai and an overpass through / over / around the Basin Reserve, all courtesy of the NZTA, perhaps it is time to look at somebody else’s vision for the streets of Wellington. Why don’t we have a look at this image, number 3…

Maximus

Following on from the previous post about the goings on around the Basin, we’re pleased to bring to you some of the plans for the other side of Mt Vic – the flip side of the coin, if you will. The comments about the Basin “improvements” have been mainly negative so far, although in a surprise move, inner city resident Mechaniker came out saying he liked…

Maximus

A Fish goes away for the weekend to get some peace and quiet, and all hell breaks loose – has this town gone crazy? Happy Fourth of July indeed! Five minutes off is all I ask for – and in the mean time a city gets landed with two options for a great snaking python of concrete slithering around the park, the natives gird their loins…

Maximus

In the second of a series of posts on the proposals of Wellington 2040’s vision, we thought we should look at the concept of Laneways. The picture chosen to illustrate this is the refurbishment of Opera House Lane, which sort of ties in with our previous post – and shows the “after” picture of how the Lane could be. I don’t have a picture of the…

Maximus

With a brief flurry of media attention last week, and typical fluffy media attention more on Miley Cyrus than the ideas inside, the Wellington 2040 vision was confirmed by a Council meeting. Today, there will be the opening of two container consultation stations (one in Te Aro Park and one on the Waterfront?) which will unveil some of the report. And finally, next week, the public…

Maximus

You’ll all be aware of the work that the government department Waka Kotahi is about to undertake, but in case you aren’t, then here is a helpful update from them*. The Wellington Regional Office is going to go live with their proposals on Saturday 2nd July, no doubt with a big splash in the papers and they’re even doing a postal drop too, apparently, to every…

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Maximus

With another great bang and crash, Christchurch snaps another tendon and spasms in pain yet again. More historic buildings collapse – more demolition is due. Amazingly, yet again, there are no deaths from the latest one – especially seeing as there are numerous Engineers, Demolition crews, and Council officials roaming the streets down there. Christchurch lost at least one heritage building conservator in the big February…

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Maximus

If you’re stuck in boring meetings at the Council all day long in Wellington, then my commiserations. Those hearings can get a little long and tedious. Imagine then, if your day was perked up by a personal visit from Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, who on Tuesday 7 June popped into his local Council office in Cupertino, California, to present the plans for a new office…