Most New Zealanders know that the Rugby World Cup will take place here in September and October 2011. Teams from 19 countries will compete. The final will be held at Eden Park in Auckland.
Last year the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) and the government spent $20m each to buy the Queens Wharf from the Ports of Auckland. The government planned to build a temporary building, big enough for a party for 20,000 people during the World Cup. However, there is a one-hundred year old shed – shed 10 – on Queens Wharf which the ARC chairman at first said was “old and cheap and nasty” and should be demolished. Since then, the ARC has listened to the Historic Places Trust which believes that the shed is part of our history and now the ARC has decided it is a heritage building and cannot be demolished. For more about heritage buildings listen to May 9th 2010. The ARC now plans to spend $17m on shed 10 so that it can become a terminal building for cruise ships.
The World Cup Minister, Murray McCully, is not happy with the ARC. Time is fast running out to build something for what he calls ‘Party Central’ for the World Cup.
Questions
If shed 10 becomes a cruise ship terminal building, will it still be a heritage building?
Is it a good idea to have one big place for rugby fans to have a party or is it better for them to go to many smaller pubs?