Viaduct Basin

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Viaduct Basin is a development of apartments and restaurants located on the site of a formerely run-down area of the 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 a period of considerable popularity. Adjacent to this area is the Auckland Maritime Museum and the stylish Princes Wharf development.

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 building new wharves or dredging 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. Next to the Viaduct Basin were constructed the Fish Market and various warehouses 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.

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 largely unused and wasted. As 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, without this colourful streetlife it is a bit barren.

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 problem as the Viaduct Basin continues to be a popular attraction for citizens and tourists.

[edit] External links

[1] Virtual tourist reviews and images]

• The Viaduct - Online [2]