Waitangi Park
Waitangi Park is a newly re-created recreation space in Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand. Proximity to Te Papa (National Museum of New Zealand) and Courtenay Quarter, provides ease of access. The facilities include a Waka launching area, a childrens playground, skateboard zone, and a large grass space.
Current News
- Earth From Above An Aerial Portrait of Our Planet Towards a Sustainable Development. Photographs by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, "The most amazing pictures you’ll ever see." Daily Mail, UK. On until April 9th 2006. Festival Of The Arts 2006
Exhibitions
- Earth From Above Yann Arthus-Bertrand - Photographer Under the patronage of UNESCO
Performances
The park opened in February 2006 with an installation for the International Festival of the arts, titled 'Earth From Above' and a series of live performances by both local Artists such as Salmonella Dub, The Warratahs, Phoenix Foundation, Fat Freddys Drop, and International acts selected from the festival, such as Antonio Forcione, (Italy) and The Sharon Shannon Band.(Ireland).
Right next door to the Park is the Les Arts Sauts Company dome used for performance of Trapeze. Les Arts Sauts
Regular Events
- Waitangi Park Market. Fruit and vegetable market. Open hours: Sunday 7am - 12pm. Waitangi Park Market
- Petanque
- Skateboarding
- Waka launching
Design
An international competition was held to design the park. Australian and Dutch architects have come through with winning design concepts in the Waitangi Park building design competition. They are John Wardle Architects (Melbourne), for Sites 1, 2 and 3, adjacent to the Overseas Passenger Terminal, and UN Studio (Amsterdam) for the site in the lea of Te Papa . The park is divided into 4 areas;
- Area 1 Large open space, grassed for multipurpose use.
- Area 2 Transition Building, Chinese and Pacific Gardens and surrounding public space
- Area 3 Bordered by the Chaffers Dock development (formerly the Herd Street Post Office), Clyde Quay Boat Harbour and the Overseas Passenger Terminal. Three buildings are proposed for this area of the park – two with a maximum of three storeys and a third with a maximum of four. Clever landscape design will link these buildings with their neighbours.
- Area 4 The UN Studio concept offers a sculptural external form, a dramatic threshold between Te Papa and Waitangi Park and an exceptional contemporary interior.
History
Waitangi Park was formerly known as Chaffers Park. Prior to 1855 the park area was part of a gentle sloping beach, often covered in water from the harbour and stream. The former Herd St Post Office is now being redeveloped into lifestyle apartments and commercial space called Chaffers Dock Apartments. Chaffers Dock Apartments
Geography
The surrounding waterway (wetlands) is a sybmbolic spiritual cleansing mechanism for the Waitangi stream, recently lifted from the stormwater/sewer and caused to flow through gravel and grass. The Waitangi stream flows through Te Aro valley from the hills to the sea. In 1855 the stream was lifted several metres by earthquake, where it flowed along the marsh area now known as Cambridge and Kent Terrace.