Te Ara I Whiti: Auckland’s cycleway open
The Nelson Street cycleway affords great views over the city.
Simon Bridges and Nikki Kaye help the Freemans Bay Primary schoolchildren to cut the ribbon.
All children will enjoy the cycleway for years to come. Matt Maihi commented that the path was “for our tamariki”.
A koru design at the Nelson Street end of the path contrasts with the bright pink.
Enjoying the first ride: Nikki Kaye, Simon Bridges, Chris Darby and Patrick Reynolds.
Every sort of cycle was welcome on the path.
One of the engraved black steel plates with Katz Maihi’s designs.
The mood was electric (pink) on the morning of Thursday 3 December, and a crowd was gathered at the bottom of Canada Street, a spot that many Aucklanders would be hard pressed to find on a map. That will soon change. We were all there for the official opening of Te Ara I Whiti (the lightpath), otherwise known as the Nelson Street cycleway, a crucial transport link that links the top of Queen Street to Nelson Street via a curvaceous, magenta coloured bike/walk pathway.
Ernst Zöllner of the New Zealand Transport Agency kicked off proceedings, followed by passionate speeches by transport minister Simon Bridges, Auckland councillor Chris Darby and Barbara Cuthburt, chair of Bike Auckland (formerly Cycle Action Auckland). Matt Maihi of Ngati Whatua blessed the cycleway on behalf of iwi, commenting that the path was “for our tamariki”.
The enthusiasm was palpable, with Bridges stating that the project would be the “jewel in Auckland’s crown”. Once the ribbon was cut, a group of delighted green-caped Freemans Bay schoolchildren took off on their bikes down the cycleway. The adults soon followed suite, with everyone enjoying the cycle or leisurely walk while taking in the extensive views of the city and harbour.
The Nelson Street cycleway was designed by Monk Mackenzie Architects in collaboration with LandLAB, and is one of the first of the network of bikepaths being delivered in partnership by the New Zealand Transport Agency, Auckland Council and Auckland Transport.
For a more detailed article on the cycleway, see here.
