Basin Reserve Re-development

[James]

Came across the plan from the Basin Reserve Trust that they plan on putting to the Council.
Basin Reserve redevelopment » Wellington City Council Long Term Plan

Hope it goes through and the Basin continues to function as a full function cricket ground long into the future.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

There's nothing particularly earthshattering in these proposals, fortunately. Despite my attachment to the ground, I have no complaint that it should be more widely utilised as this will help to guarantee its long term future and deflect those nay-sayers who just want to plough a 4 lane highway through the middle of it. The areas for debate are the Museum Stand - and quite frankly, given how earthquake prone it and and how ugly the actual seating area is, the best outcome would be to retain and repair the museum (which is quite handsome) and put embankment over the top of it. That's not what they're proposing, and I don't see what happens to the Museum if they demolish that stand next year before the proposed new stand & pavilion is constructed up to 6 years hence. The Flood Lights are likely to prove controversial to local neighbours, but they could then ensure smaller tier ODIs can be held at the Basin (e.g. vs. Bangladesh, Zimbabwe etc) rather than wasting money hosting a match at the Westpac when only a few thousand people turn up.

I see one of the high priorities is improving the toilets. I know other people really dislike the toilets, but they've never bothered me much. Obviously some people doesn't like the feel and aesthetic of concrete troughs.

I just can't see a lot of this happening when the Council seems transfixed on spending vast sums of money extending Wellington Airport's runway by a couple of hundred metres - which doesn't come cheap.

 

[Hurricane]

I should probably read the article before responding - but just want to pick up on the toilets. They must be at least from the 1920s if not earlier. Westpac's toilets craps all over them (pun intended),

Last time I went for a leak at the basin I got sprayed on my legs by other people rebounding off the concrete. It is most unhygienic.

 

[Hurricane]

I've read it now and will defer to Heef's analysis. It all sounds like welcome improvements to me and I hope they get the go ahead. The floodlights will be important as day night matches could be exclusively the future in one scenario.