By ALAN PERROTT
The Avondale township is embarking on a $500,000 upgrade centred around the suburb's iconic 4m spider, Dale.
The Auckland City Council and a group of Avondale community and business groups are splashing out $47,000 to mount the giant spider on a 6m stainless-steel web in the centre of a
new town square.
Dale has been stored beneath the Spiders Bar since he was ordered from his former home on the roof of the Avondale Mobil service station by Mobil head office in Australia.
A spokesman for the project, Kevin Healy, could not predict when Dale was likely to emerge from his lair.
He said they were still looking for another $20,000 in sponsorship.
The first stage of the four-year project will see $330,000 spent on a new town square featuring the spider, a children's playground, a public gathering area, and a Polynesian-style open band rotunda.
Heart of the City spokesman Alex Swney said such redevelopments were not likely to affect inner-city business.
"The inner city is increasingly differentiating itself from the suburban shopping centres, so this is good for everybody."
