A few weeks ago I blogged with a worry about Wynyard Quarter losing its gritty reality. Losing the reality of the fishing fleet tying up at North Wharf. Losing the sight of fish being unloaded. Stuff like that.
Why this matters - if it's true - is because a lot was made of this in public consultations, and also with shareholders.
Back in the days of the ARC (Auckland Regional Council) we were briefed by Sea + City (precursor to Waterfront Development Agency). On the 11th of May 2009 we (Councillors) received a briefing from Sea + City's CEO about Wynyard Quarter redevelopment. These slides are from that presentation.
It was argued that a "key ingredient for success", was to foster real engagement with authentic maritime experiences.... 
The urban designers were big on reminding us that fishing nets and floats (their colour and texture) and all they stood for were important. (Maybe that could just be about paint....but I think there was more to it than that....)
This image told a strong story. Fish being sold, available, right there. At the waters edge....
And this diagram emphasised that these would be Real Fishing Boats. (ie not cardboard cut-outs or some other plastic imitation.) We're talking real.
The vision for Jellicoe Harbour was spelled out in this picture: no mucking about. No if's, but's or maybe's. PUBLIC FISH SALES. Maybe I'm too literal. But I think this image, and the words and slides before it, tell a very strong story, which we all bought into. Authenticity. We supported it. ARC supported it.
This slide adds more colour.
And this one does a good job of explaining how the different uses and activities would co-exist. How the reality of the transport needs of fishing boats loading and unloading on North Wharf would be provided for. So that's what we want to see down there. It's what we voted. It's also what the public said they wanted when we consulted them.
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