Joint media advisory

New Zealand Government
Auckland Regional Council
Auckland City Council

11 September 2009

Queens Wharf open to the public: this Sunday (13 September) 1- 4pm

Queens Wharf's red gates will swing open this Sunday giving people an opportunity to wander along this special part of Auckland's waterfront.

Prime Minister John Key with Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully, Auckland Regional Council Chairman Mike Lee and Auckland city's Mayor John Banks will open the gates at 1pm.

By standing on the wharf, people can get a feel for the extraordinary position it commands on the Waitemata Harbour and on the edge of the central city and get a sense for how the space could be used once it is permanently opened to the public.

People will also be able to view the designs received for the Opening the Red Gates Design Competition for Queens Wharf in the historic 'Shed 10' on the wharf.

All New Zealanders, from school children to design professionals have been invited to put their ideas and designs forward to determine how new facilities on the wharf might look and work as public open space, cruise terminal and Rugby World Cup 2011 public celebrations and beyond.

The public is being invited to comment on the various options that come forward.

So far:

Some 220 entries have been received in the design competition
25 team entries have been received for the design and construction component
More than 150 additional ideas have been submitted

Between 13 September and 24 October, people will be able to visit an exhibition of the proposed designs at the Union Fish Company Building

at 116 Quay St and provide feedback on those designs.

The two-stage competition will be evaluated by the chief executives of Auckland City Council, Auckland Regional Council and the Ministry of

Economic Development, informed by independent experts, with final decisions made by elected representatives.

The public feedback will be considered alongside the designs when they are evaluated  by the chief executives. A shortlist of designs will be

announced at the end of September.

These designs will be developed further and the final winner will be announced in early November.

Visit www.queenswharf.org.nzfor more information.

Ends

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