Kerre McIvor: Waterfront vision needs to last beyond America's Cup excitement

There needs to be a vision for the harbour that embraces the needs of all of Auckland's residents. Photo / Doug Sherring

You really can't beat Wellington on a good day. The sparkling harbour, the cerulean skies and the splendid waterfront development make it a great city for everyone to enjoy.

I was there recently for my nephew's 21st and on Sunday morning, we made the most of the golden weather by walking around the waterfront starting from the railway station and ending up in Oriental Bay.

Along the way, there were markets and street performers and skateboarders and joggers.

There were lovely cafes for brunch, there were families who'd brought their own picnics sitting on the grass and there were waka ama teams training on the water.

There were shops and apartments and open spaces and it reminded me of what a superb job the Wellington City Council has done of reclaiming the waterfront for Wellingtonians.

It wasn't always so. Up until the 1980s, the jewel in Wellington's crown was locked away from the public. The Wellington Harbour Board controlled the land and access to the water was denied by locked iron gates.

But when the commercial shipping activity moved to Aotea Quay and the Harbour Board merged with the council, a publicly-owned organisation was formed to open up the waterfront and the result of that is the space we can enjoy today.

The development of Auckland's waterfront has been more piecemeal and as a result, less successful.

It's the Waitemata that makes Auckland – whenever you're stuck in traffic, crawling along in a line of cars, 40 minutes into what should have been a 15-minute journey, a glimpse of the harbour is all it takes to make you realise why you stay.

I love the idea that hosting another America's Cup will be a catalyst for further waterfront development - but I'm sceptical that the entire community will benefit from it.

When the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron hosted the America's Cup 17 years ago, the Viaduct was the hub for competitors and spectators alike. It transformed a rundown commercial harbour into a thriving area of fancy apartments and swanky restaurants.

It's a great place to enjoy a long lunch – but you wouldn't really describe it as a shining example of a public space.

The council has done better with the development of the Wynyard Quarter. Once known as the Tank Farm thanks to the many concrete silos that stored petrol and liquid chemicals, the area has been developed in a way that makes it far more accessible to the public.

Yes, there are expensive apartments and upscale restaurants but there are also plenty of spaces for everyone to enjoy.

You don't need to drop $150 for lunch to enjoy the views. Whichever option the council decides to go with when it comes to providing a base for the America's Cup, I hope they do so with the good of the city at heart.

It's important to provide a village for the cup participants that is both utilitarian and attractive – the cup attracts well-heeled visitors from all around the world and their needs must be met.

But there needs to be a vision for the harbour that lasts far beyond the excitement of America's Cup racing and one that embraces the needs of all of Auckland's residents.

The waterfront shouldn't be the sole domain of wealthy retirees and the ladies who lunch – a place only to be enjoyed by those who can afford it.

The western end of the harbour needs to be opened up in the way that the eastern bays have been. Sure, you may never be able to afford to buy one of the homes that overlooks the water, but any one of us can take our fish and chips down to the beach and enjoy the same views.

I'm looking forward to the America's Cup – the design of the racing yachts looks out of this world and the buzz and excitement around hosting the Cup will be energising.

But whoever ends up lifting the Auld Mug, I just hope that Aucklanders will end up being the winners after the cup with a waterfront space we can all call our own.