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By BarbC, October 23, 2012

This is a sad tale with a happy ending. But it also has a moral to round it off.

I rose early one Saturday morning, caught the ferry from Devonport to town, and loaded up on fresh goodies from the Britomart Farmers Market. To complete my feeling of peace and plenty, I decided to cruise along the North Wharf area of the Wynyard Quarter. Imagine my mortification to find myself sliding into a great bike-flip with my ladden panniers on the railway lines on the wharf, unusually wet and slippery from a light shower.

Even worse, as I flipped, I was reflecting on a message from a friend who had recently skidded and fallen in the same area.

The happy news is that I was rescued by this gorgeous gang of BikeLab cyclists, who were just finishing their coffees after their morning ride. Who says the Auckland cycling community is not a tight crew these days? These talented guys grabbed a bike tool kit and did a few vital running repairs to my bike. I’m delighted to have a chance to publicly thank these heroes of the hour – I’m ever so grateful to you all!

Just for the record – I heard that 3 other cyclists had gone for a skid on the old trainlines that morning, so I don’t feel too bad. But this is clearly something for us to watch on North Wharf, in addition to the tram lines – you may have seen the warning signs for these.

It doesn’t in any way mar my love of North Wharf and Wynyard Quarter – maybe just adds to the spice and mindfulness of riding there.

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By BarbC, October 18, 2012

I don’t get sentimental often, but our Waterfront is a dead cert, everytime, to make me fall in love.

I love the Wynyard Quarter, Tamaki Drive and the ferry building, I even love the area west of the ferries, where I have to take care to manoeuvre my bike around dozy tourists, just off the cruise ships, who dream along looking upwards or just stand like human bollards. And I love working with the Waterfront Auckland team – the staff and the Board – they are natural partners for Cycle Action – quick, intuitive and engaging.

Here is Waterfront Auckland’s latest tribute to our Waterfront. Hope you love it!

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By admin, September 24, 2012

Auckland Waterfront is a real powerhouse in Auckland’s transformation to the world’s most liveable city. And to their great credit, they are strongly behind cycling as one of the tools to achieve this for their area – the waterfront.

This started from… humble… beginnings (I seem to remember that one of the targets for the Wynyard Quarter area, many many years back in Auckland City Council times, was to roughly double the amount of cycling – from 1% to 2%!). But nowadays, the Waterfront Boulevard – a walk and cycleway spanning from Herne Bay to Tamaki Drive – has become one of their key transformation projects, achieving the greatest public support of all proposals in the Waterfront Plan. And of course they strongly support a path across the Auckland Harbour Bridge as well.

In our Cycle Summit video, hear Angelika Cutler from Waterfront Auckland give you a recap of what has been achieved, and what is still to come for cycling.

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By admin, August 6, 2012

Some months back, one of our most popular posts ever told you about how Council had agreed to budget $9 million (later corrected to $10m) for the Waterfront Cycleway. But this soon turned out to be a misunderstanding (which apparently even affected Waterfront Auckland)  – caught up in a budget disagreement, the project had been voted down after all.

Everyone at CAA was crushed at hearing this. And even people like Brian Rudman, not really known as a cycling fan, weighed in with some recommendations for the project.

But it soon became clear – as we learned at Waterfront Auckland’s Stakeholders’ Forum two weeks ago – that with support of the Mayor, WA had not given up on the project. It is now confirmed that budgets have been reshuffled, and a slightly less fancy boulevard scheme (at just under $6 million) has been approved [link to a second news item].

This is GREAT news – and some new details are also provided to whet your appetites. The new walk- and cycleway will still run from the Auckland Harbour Bridge along the Westhaven Marina to Wynyard Quarter (linking in at a new, more people-friendly Daldy Street). Waterfront Auckland CEO, John Dalzell, notes that:

“… we intend to deliver a walkway and cycleway that meets the high standards of construction consistent with other projects we’ve delivered to date such as Jellicoe Street,”

“This will be more challenging now due to the reduction in funding available for this project, however, we’re confident substantial structures such as the cantilevered boardwalks will still be designed to a very high standard and will be of a generous width and made from quality materials.”

Most of the savings are apparently to come through deferring some items until later – i.e. building the route without extra viewing platforms and the smaller ancillary paths that where to run along the wharves, and by reducing the landscaping somewhat. Which is a shame, but shouldn’t cause the main walk- and cycleway to be any less of a great project.

The project is intended to be completed by 2014 – good on you, Waterfront Auckland!

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By admin, June 1, 2012

A wonderful celebration of urban and stylish cycling came together at Shed 10 on Auckland’s waterfront in March. Cycle Style 2012 featured 5 distinct fashion shows on a selection of frock-friendly bikes from Auckland’s bike retailers Cyco, T. Whites, the Urban Bicycle Company, Bespoke Bikes and R&R Sports.

Local fashion was showcased from Dalston, Starfish, Hannah-Lee Jade, and We’ar It together with a unique retro show from K’rd vintage shops.  The event ended with a finale show of street style selected from our cycling audience.

Entertainment was provided by the Velociteers, Auckland’s sychronised cycling group and Auckland Hard Court Bicycle Polo, while CAA’s own Rowan Arahia was the MC for an afternoon festival of fashion and bikes.

Cycle Style 2012 was presented by Cycle Action Auckland and Frocks on Bikes in association with Auckland Transport and Waterfront Auckland .

Photos from the Dalston Show (the full set of Craig Neilson photos)