By AINSLEY THOMSON
Thousands of people are expected to join Sir Peter Blake's family and honour the national hero at his memorial service in the Auckland Domain tomorrow.
The service, which will start at 11 am in front of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, will be attended by Lady Pippa Blake,
her children Sarah-Jane and James, Sir Peter's mother Joyce, and other family members, friends and colleagues.
The Prime Minister and the Governor-General will speak at the service.
Other speakers will be Sir Hugh Kawharu, Douglas Myers, Sarah-Jane and James Blake, friends of Sir Peter and Brazil's Secretary of Sport, Lars Grael.
New Zealand broadcasting veteran Ian Johnstone will be master of ceremonies and the service will be led by the Royal New Zealand Navy chaplain, with the Navy band providing the music.
Tenor Patrick Power will begin the service by singing the national anthem.
Dave Dobbyn will sing his classic song Loyal, and Tim and Neil Finn will perform Six Months in a Leaky Boat.
Auckland Mayor John Banks said the service would allow New Zealanders to show their admiration for Sir Peter and extend their sympathy to his family.
"We know that many people want this opportunity, and we have received many calls from people wanting to be able to honour Sir Peter in this way," he said.
"The service will be held rain or shine, which is exactly the way this man of the sea would want it."
New Zealanders and yachting fans around the world unable to attend the memorial service will be able to watch it live on the internet.
TVNZ's web portal, nzoom.com, has announced it will "live stream" TV One's coverage of the service.
One News will also broadcast live coverage of the service from 10.45 am, presented by Judy Bailey and Richard Long.
Tomorrow there will also be a memorial procession on the water in honour of Sir Peter.
The aquatic procession, being organised by Yachting New Zealand, will begin at 5 pm under the harbour bridge.
It will head east to North Head and then turn west to pass Princes Wharf and the Viaduct Harbour. It will finish under the harbour bridge.
All boaties are invited to take part in the procession.
A spokeswoman for Yachting New Zealand, Emma Reid, said the procession should take about an hour, and hundreds if not thousands of people were expected to take part.
Yachting New Zealand president Geoff Thorpe said the best vantage points from which to view the water procession were Devonport Wharf and Esplanade, North Head, Stanley Pt, Princes Wharf, and the outer wharves at the Viaduct Basin.
Meanwhile, Mr Banks says the Auckland City Council will take the lead in making sure there is a lasting memorial to Sir Peter.
Mr Banks met sculptor Minhal Al Halabi on Thursday.
Although no official arrangements have been made, Al Halabi gave Mr Banks a miniature mock-up statue of Sir Peter.
Mr Banks said the three main suggestions from the public to remember Sir Peter were to rename the Viaduct Basin, erect a sculpture of Sir Peter and establish a scholarship fund.
"I have been considering these carefully but have not made my thoughts public until now out of respect for Sir Peter's family. They will need to be consulted," he said.
* The council has set up an information line about the Auckland Domain memorial service on (09) 379-1346.
* Police will close Museum Circuit Rd and Cenotaph Rd at 6 am. Domain Drive will be closed between Titoki St and The Crescent between 6 am and 1.30 pm to allow a crane on the road to support a superscreen.
* Roads entering Auckland Domain will be closed from 9 am according to traffic flow and parking availability.
* Winter Garden Rd has been designated for disabled parking.
The disabled should enter the Domain from Carlton Gore Rd, drive down Football Rd and park in Winter Garden Rd.
It is recommended that people wishing to use this area arrive early, as space is limited.
* The elderly may also be dropped off at the disabled parking area. Their drivers can leave the Domain on Kiosk Drive.
* All roads except Domain Drive will be reopened at the end of the service.
* There will be no parking on any of the grassed areas in the Domain or on Museum Circuit Rd, Winter Garden Rd, The Crescent, Kiosk Rd, and part of Domain Drive North.
* People wishing to attend the service are advised to use public transport. Information is available from Rideline on (09) 366-6400.
* The service is expected to last about an hour and a half so people should bring drinking water, sunhats and sunscreen if the weather is fine.
* Boats in the water procession should listen to VHF Channel 77 for instructions from the organisers.
Domain is venue for Blake memorial on Sunday
Full coverage:
Peter Blake, 1948-2001
By AINSLEY THOMSON
Thousands of people are expected to join Sir Peter Blake's family and honour the national hero at his memorial service in the Auckland Domain tomorrow.
The service, which will start at 11 am in front of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, will be attended by Lady Pippa Blake,
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