Proposed Basin stand will obscure flyover

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IN KEEPING: An artist's impression of the proposed new grandstand.

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A new grandstand proposed for Wellington's Basin Reserve could add continuity to the ground by having a similar look to the R A Vance Stand.

The Basin Reserve Trust has proposed a new stand at the northern end of the ground to obscure a traffic flyover that will link the inner-city bypass with the Mt Victoria Tunnel.

The $33 million flyover is expected to be built by the New Zealand Transport Agency within the next five years.

The new stand, which has yet to be costed, would span 60 metres between the R A Vance stand and the grass embankment at the northern end of the ground.

Trust spokesman John Morrison, a Wellington city councillor and former New Zealand cricketer, said it could mimic the peaked roof of the Vance Stand.

"We think that could be appropriate but it is early days at the moment."

The number of seats in the stand has yet to be decided but it would increase the ground's current spectator capacity of 11,600.

Morrison is confident that the flyover would not impinge on the enjoyment of patrons at the Basin if the stand is built.

"We believe we can get to the point where traffic is less significant at the Basin than it is now."

He said the character and history of the 140-year-old venue would be enhanced by the new stand, and that the grass embankment would remain untouched.

A three-day workshop to thrash out details of the proposal is set for November 1. It will be led by urban design expert Kobus Mentz and will include representatives from the NZTA, Basin Reserve Trust, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington regional council.

Meanwhile, Allied Nationwide Finance has re-signed as the ground's naming rights sponsor for the next three years.

Allied's marketing manager Andrew Quayle said the move reinforced the company's association with the "formidable and historic part of Wellington's landscape". The value of the deal has not been released but Morrison said it was "worth in the hundreds of thousands of dollars".

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Robb   #3   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Sounds like by mimicking the Vanceb stand, this will be done with full respect to the Basin Reserve, something the flyover will greatly infringe upon. If the flyover has to be built, so do this. Go for it.

ben   #2   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Can We have this one facing the sun instead of the southerly?

I would rather have that and see the flyover than have another big cold empty stand

Don - Raumati   #1   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Go for it "Mystery" & the Wgtn City Council. Any plan to enhance and safe-guard the Basin is good and this looks very suitable. Now get the NZCC "Bozo's" to give us back the Boxing Day tests!

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