Plans to place a controversial 75-metre waka pavilion on The Strand are stirring up a lot of opinions in the community.
Tauranga City Council is in the middle of discussions to place the $2 million pavilion on the waterfront for two to five years.
The 75-metre lozenge-shaped pavilion was originally designed for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and was first displayed on Auckland's Viaduct.
It was later shipped to San Francisco as part of the Team NZ America's Cup campaign.
A strategic working group understood to include individuals from various organisations including Priority One and Bay Venues Limited is assessing a proposal to bring the pavilion from San Francisco, and re-assemble it on The Strand reclamation, ideally before the end of the year.
SunLive asked people in the community what they thought about the idea.
Watch the video above to see what they have to say.
24 comments
what about
Posted on 06-09-2014 11:19 | By dave4u
putting it on top of the council building and using it as a water tank to the supply the building with water."whakabigtank"
sulpher point
Posted on 06-09-2014 11:36 | By hapukafin
Put it down sulpher point where the waka club is
waka
Posted on 06-09-2014 12:49 | By dumbkof2
it would make a good wave break for the surfies. its not much use for anything else
Waka Boom Time For Tauranga
Posted on 06-09-2014 16:27 | By Disappointed
Just think about the hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars this wannabe waka will bring to the area. Let's get the Tui beer ready to celebrate.
Desecration
Posted on 06-09-2014 17:12 | By Jitter
Why anyone would think that Tauranga residents will applaud the placing of this monstrosity on the waterfront which will completely ruin the glorious view across the harbour, I don't know. How long do these people think it will last with the high level of vandalism in Tauranga? I am all for development in Tauranga but this is ridiculous. I believe it is also an insult to "Maori" culture. If there is to be a waka on the waterfront lets at least have a real one. We are told there will be no ratepayers funds involved. Who then will pay for the ongoing maintenance, and believe me there will be maintenance and repairs required ? The old argument that it will attract people to Tauranga has been used again. Yeah right ! Jeez do these people have peas for brains?
Who Pays
Posted on 06-09-2014 17:16 | By R1Squid
Was the question of financing raised in your interviews. The people in your video obviously think that is not going to cost them anything - perhaps they are not the ones that pay residential property tax (Rate Payers). Money has to come from somewhere or is Sunmedia picking up the tab?
myview
Posted on 06-09-2014 17:23 | By myview
Seriously not on our beautiful Strand waterfront, perhaps Sulphur point would be ok.
Here is an idea!!!!
Posted on 06-09-2014 17:27 | By Sambo Returns
place it on the Strand upside down on a 45degree angle, run water through it, and get children to use it as a hydro slide.
Another waka?
Posted on 06-09-2014 18:26 | By dgk
There already is a waka on the Strand. Over by the Sun's offices.
Quick
Posted on 07-09-2014 01:28 | By CC8
Wake up Stuart, you are having a BAD dream. Well a stupid one anyway.
Waka do point?
Posted on 07-09-2014 09:50 | By YOGI BEAR
The last story ex TCC was to have "clear spaces on the waterfront, this looks like a huge thing at some 75m long, 16.5m high and about 6m wide. That is like a five storey building being built on the edge of the waterfront? $2m for this, you have to be kidding, where is the common sense here? What are they going to then use it for? Some kind of display or whatever, if so what is that going to cost? A lot ... Folks just add a few million more to your rates bills for this little fling.
out of touch TCC
Posted on 07-09-2014 15:29 | By Captain Sensible
I can't think of any reason I'd go to see a big plastic canoe. I just would not. Do people seriously consider it a tourist attraction? How many people would travel here just to see it? Wonder how many people go to say, Paeroa, to see their giant L&P bottle? Not to be confused with the number of people that pass through Paeroa and stop to have a look at it.....ONCE only!
NO !!!
Posted on 07-09-2014 16:49 | By sambro
NO!! It's not the real deal, it's ugly and we shouldn't have to be abused by some designers "FAILED CREATIVE".
Sambo
Posted on 08-09-2014 06:49 | By Capt_Kaveman
hey what a great idea lol
Lets see what the Biz case says
Posted on 08-09-2014 11:35 | By Rangi
Come on Tauranga, this is what progress looks like! I support this wholeheartedly if the business case stacks up. - Has anyone actually seen this or been inside? I have, it's amazing! If we can get it cheap, we should go for it.
No way.
Posted on 08-09-2014 21:10 | By Spacenight
I am not in favour of this. It seems pointless to me.
No way.
Posted on 08-09-2014 21:10 | By Spacenight
I am not in favour of this. It seems pointless to me.
Rangi
Posted on 09-09-2014 10:34 | By YOGI BEAR
Come on mate, since when did a Tauranga Council biz case stack up? They are all flops.
Don't be so SILLY!
Posted on 09-09-2014 16:59 | By Mary Faith
Surely the Mayor and councillors will not be stupid enough to go ahead with this preposterous idea! They must be aware of the overwhelming opposition to the plan! We will know who not to vote for next election if this THING ends up on our door step!
?
Posted on 12-09-2014 08:33 | By Raewyn
Not on our Strand Waterfront! The cost for just 2-5 years is not worth it for any site in our City
Mary Faith
Posted on 14-09-2014 15:14 | By YOGI BEAR
Appreciate your optimism, but badly founded, the fact the idea even exists should tell you something already.
No!
Posted on 22-09-2014 09:05 | By Baystyle
Send it to Auckland. Their council wastes even more money than ours.
Baystyle
Posted on 25-09-2014 16:33 | By YOGI BEAR
I agree totally with that, they now have a CEO whose specialty is spending, borrow, spending, borrow ... without mercy.
Plastic Tiki
Posted on 28-09-2014 20:26 | By Jitter
Does anyone remember the row that a certain group of people made over the selling of plastic tiki to tourists some years ago ? The same goes for the plastic waka. An abomination.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.