RPNYC seeks to restore Clyde Quay Harbour on Wellington's waterfront
by RPNYC Events on 21 Apr 2010
Clyde Quay Boat Harbour, Wellington SW
Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club plans to increase public access to Wellington's harbour and restore Clyde Quay as the 'jewel in the crown' of the city's waterfront.
The club this week met with Wellington City Council to seek support for the project, estimated to cost $4.8 million and take four years to complete. Clyde Quay Boat Harbour has until now remained untouched as the city's waterfront around it has been revitalised.
'We have been working to identify ways in which the Clyde Quay harbour can best be restored so that it is once again the jewel in the crown of the Wellington waterfront', said Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club Chief Executive Dean Stanley.
'Our plans represent a significant cultural shift for the club that will see the Clyde Quay harbour transformed from a place that is perceived as a private enclave to an area that is viewed by all Wellingtonians as their own,' he said. 'We have been operating in the Clyde Quay harbour for over 100 years and the plans that we are putting in place will mean that we continue to stay relevant for the next 100 years.'
At the heart of the restoration is the establishment of the last part of the waterfront link from Oriental Bay to the Railway Station. A promenade around Freyberg Pool, along the Clyde Quay harbour and connecting to Waitangi Park will mean that the public can enjoy an uninterrupted Wellington waterfront experience. The revamp will offer people the unique experience of direct access to the harbour alongside the area's iconic boatsheds.
The plans include the establishment of a public amenities area and an academy precinct within the Clyde Quay harbour, along with areas for people to promenade, stop, rest and enjoy the unique microclimate available in this north facing harbourside setting.
In the public amenities precinct, the club plans to establish a Harbour Sails service for Wellingtonians and tourists, enabling them to go out on a yacht and experience Wellington's wind. In the same area, people will be able to hire remote control yachts and sail them around Clyde Quay harbour, or visit the yacht Club Cafe and enjoy a water's edge dining experience in all weather conditions.
In the Academy precinct, the club intends to work with other aquatics-based sports that operate in the Oriental Bay area in order to create an aquatics cluster providing opportunities for Wellingtonians to participate more actively and easily on the Wellington Harbour. Wellington school children will have the opportunity to participate in authentic fundamental aquatics programmes and learn about key maths, science and technology principles through the education programmes planned for the Clyde Quay harbour.
This week's deputation to the council is the first step in a process designed to see the Clyde Quay Boat Harbour restoration project included in the city's long term community plan. If you would like to provide feedback or have any ideas about the project, please visit the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club website at www.rpnyc.org.nz
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