Local History and Media
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150 bedrooms – recycling the flats
- Wellington Scoop
- The Architectural Centre has written to the Minister for Housing Chris Bishop giving reasons for the retention and refurbishment of the Gordon Wilson Memorial Apartments on the Terrace. It says: “We acknowledge this is a critical time in the building’s future with your pending decision on whether to retain its heritage listing. Your decision will impact its retention.” The letter gives these reasons why the building should be retained and re-used.
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- recycling
- gordon-wilson-flats
Gordon Wilson Flats, Maurice Terrace, Aro Valley, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Destroying our past
- Wellington Scoop
- Heritage is contested by many and loved by others. The Mayor and Councillor McNulty want it as just a political whim. They’ve written a letter to RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop asking for the power to remove heritage buildings from district plan rules by a simple Council majority vote. The letter says this request is “on behalf of the Wellington City Council,” though it was never discussed by councillors.
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- wellington-city-council
- town-hall-strengthening
- toomaths-building
Toomath’s Buildings, Ghuznee Street, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Gordon Wilson is Dead, Long Live Affordable Housing
- Salient
- Last Thursday, Wellington City Council passed what Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera described as “the most pro-housing, ambitious set of amendments that we could”, as the council voted on changes to the District Plan. The meeting saw the council’s biggest break from the NIMBY-ism which has defined housing policy in the city for decades. W after W for affordable housing flashed onto the council’s voting screens. So overwhelming were the wins for affordable housing that Councillor Nicola Young may have been left with a mild case of amnesia, saying “I’m so numb about the district plan I can barely remember what [the amendments] are.”
- Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- wellington-city-council
- housing
- gordon-wilson-flats
Gordon Wilson Flats, Maurice Terrace, Aro Valley, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Getting rid of character
- Wellington Scoop
- Most Wellington campaigners in recent decades have fought to save the city’s unique character. So it was unusual to have a group saying it was delighted and stoked by the city council decision to reduce the city’s character areas. If the plan gets ministerial approval next month, it will however not be the first time that the council has presided over the destruction of character areas and streetscapes. Think of the regime of mayor Michael Fowler. An architect, he presided over the demolition of much of Lambton Quay’s heritage buildings.
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- Tagged as:
- heritage-buildings
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Review: The New Blue—A Portrait of Pixie Williams
- Salient
- A Portrait of Pixie Williams is a lovely tribute, shedding light on an unfamiliar part of Wellington’s history and a pivotal figure in Wellington's musical legacy. The crowd would not stop applauding and only cheered more when the cast came out for an encore, and that speaks volumes. It’s both a heartwarming and heartbreaking tale, and I only wish I could see it again.
- Accepted from Salient 2024 by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- local-history
- music
- reviews
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Should we hang on to our heritage buildings?
- Capital Magazine
- Take a walk through Wellington with Dennis Clifford as he investigates whether heritage buildings deserve a place in our city's future. The post Should we hang on to our heritage buildings? appeared first on Capital Magazine.
- Accepted from Capital Magazine by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- heritage-buildings
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Everything, everywhere, all at Mabel’s
- Capital Magazine
- Vibrant flavors meet cherished memories at Marlar Boon's Burmese restaurant. The post Everything, everywhere, all at Mabel’s appeared first on Capital Magazine.
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- Tagged as:
- local-history
- restaurants
Globe Building, Holland Street, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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The complex history behind some of Wellingtons’ favourite parks
- Capital Magazine
- Emus, earthquakes, and estates – oh my! Matthew Plummer takes a trip down the garden path to explore how three popular parks came to be. The post The complex history behind some of Wellingtons’ favourite parks appeared first on Capital Magazine.
- Accepted from Capital Magazine by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- local-history
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A surreal period: The vaccine protests in photos
- Capital Magazine
- Photographer Alan Blundell got amongst the action in February 2022, capturing a dramatic, and unprecedented period in Wellington’s history. The post A surreal period: The vaccine protests in photos appeared first on Capital Magazine.
- Accepted from Capital Magazine by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- covid-19
- local-history
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Karori’s world class stained glass
- Capital Magazine
- Great art can be found in the most unlikely places. Check out the magnificent stained glass windows in Karori Cemetery’s heritage chapel. The post Karori’s world class stained glass appeared first on Capital Magazine.
- Accepted from Capital Magazine by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- karori
- heritage-buildings
Small Chapel and Crematorium, Rosehaugh Avenue, Northland, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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A biodiverse future for Gordon Wilson Flats
- Wellington Scoop
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- gordon-wilson-flats
Gordon Wilson Flats, Maurice Terrace, Aro Valley, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6040, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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How these Aro cottages became a bohemian haven
- Capital Magazine
- Meet the family living the hippy life just a stones throw from the CBD, growing their own food and welcoming others to their little slice of the world. The post How these Aro cottages became a bohemian haven appeared first on Capital Magazine.
- Accepted from Capital Magazine by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- aro-valley
- heritage-buildings
Mitchelltown, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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They spent $31m, and it’s quake prone?
- Wellington Scoop
- What’s gone wrong at the St James? As you enter the restored and strengthened building, you are confronted by a warning from its owner, the Wellington City Council, which wants you to know that the beautiful theatre is earthquake prone. The theatre reopened this month after being closed since 2019 for strengthening and refurbishing.
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- earthquake-strengthening
- heritage-buildings
St James Theatre, 77, Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Losing our heart
- Wellington Scoop
- Have I got this right? The Wellington City Council’s draft District Plan is proposing to remove the heritage listing protection of the heart of the city – Te Ngakau/Civic Centre, which is listed as a heritage area in the current District Plan. There’s also no regard for legal protection of the city’s two waterfront parks.
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- Tagged as:
- civic-square
- heritage-buildings
- draft-district-plan
Te Ngākau Civic Square, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Newtown’s streets of history
- Wellington Scoop
- As one of Wellington’s oldest suburbs, Newtown was initially undulating fields sloping to swampy ground ending up at the Basin Reserve. The Wellesley Block was advertised to settlers interested in a house with land. Mostly they’d come from dense tenements in the UK or slums in Te Aro.
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- newtown
- local-history
Newtown, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Conversion? No … demolition
- Wellington Scoop
- The number of its parishioners had shrunk to less than a score, so it was inevitable that this beautiful 1960s Brooklyn church would have to find a new use. But was demolition inevitable? Demolition wasn’t mentioned when the Modernist St Matthew’s Church, designed by leading Wellington architect Derek Wilson, was advertised for sale at the end of last year.
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- brooklyn
- heritage-buildings
St Matthew's Cooperating Church / Co-operating Parish, 96, Washington Avenue, Mitchelltown, Vogeltown, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6021, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Saving (or demolishing) a 19th century landmark
- Wellington Scoop
- Accepted from Wellington Scoop features by feedreader
- Tagged as:
- earthquake-strengthening
- heritage-buildings
- newtown
Newtown, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Defending the streets of Newtown
- Wellington Scoop
- Accepted from Wellington Scoop features by feedreader
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- newtown
- draft-spatial-plan
- local-history
Newtown, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Saving a hall and its history
- Wellington Scoop
- The Titahi Bay Marines Hall, built in 1942 as a recreational hall for US soldiers stationed in New Zealand during World War II, has stood empty since 2012 due to structural issues.
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- Tagged as:
- heritage-buildings
- titahi-bay
Titahi Bay, Porirua, Porirua City, Wellington, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Safe as houses
- Capital Magazine
- Wellington’s character is under threat, says concerned Wellingtonian Gregor Thompson. He lays out what we could lose if the Council’s “Planning for Growth” proposal goes ahead.
- Submitted by tonytw1
- Tagged as:
- draft-spatial-plan
- heritage-buildings
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Demolishing our heritage
- Wellington Scoop
- Victoria University is refusing to accept the importance of the Gordon Wilson Flats on The Terrace.
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- Tagged as:
- heritage-buildings
- victoria-university
Gordon Wilson flats, 314, The Terrace, Aro Valley, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6145, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)
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Closed and empty: time to reopen a significant city building
- Wellington Scoop
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- heritage-buildings
- earthquake-strengthening
Turnbull House, 11, Bowen Street, Wellington Central, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6145, New Zealand/Aotearoa
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The scandal of the Town Hall – closed for eight years? Or worse?
- Wellington Scoop
- Wellington’s Town Hall is under serious threat of eventual demolition. And in any case, according to the timetable received by councillors it is to be closed for at least eight years. The issue is not that it should be opened immediately but that strengthening should be immediately continued without delay.
- Accepted from Wellington Scoop features
- Tagged as:
- heritage-buildings
- earthquake-strengthening
Wellington Town Hall, Civic Square, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand/Aotearoa
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Rex is right about the Town Hall
- Wellington Scoop
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- heritage-buildings
- earthquake-strengthening
Wellington Town Hall, Civic Square, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand/Aotearoa
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Saving the Town Hall, and more great ideas
- Wellington Scoop
- Our city councillors have this week been reviewing their eight great ideas, as part of the debate on their long-term plan. A longer runway and a convention centre have stayed on their list. But Ian Apperley reports that some new items have emerged and others have disappeared.
- Accepted from Wellington Scoop features
- Tagged as:
- earthquake-strengthening
- heritage-buildings
Wellington Town Hall, Civic Square, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand/Aotearoa
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One saves, the other wants to demolish
- Wellington Scoop
- Accepted from Wellington Scoop features
- Tagged as:
- harcourts-building
- heritage-buildings
Inglewood Place, Te Aro, Wellington, Wellington Region, 6011, New Zealand
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The heritage of the Quay – real, or fake?
- Wellington Scoop
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- heritage-buildings
Grey Street, Wellington Central, Wellington, Wellington Region, 6011, New Zealand
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Matangi: milestone or mistake?
- Wellington Scoop
- Another milestone was reached in Wellington’s electric transport history on 19 March when the venerable English Electric EMUs retired from their 74-year-old career shuttling commuters up and down the 10km Johnsonville Line.
- Accepted from Wellington Scoop features
- Tagged as:
- matangi-trains
- local-history
- light-rail
- johnsonville
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