Mayor Cancels Micromobility Centre He Describes as ‘Stupid Stuff’

Auckland, NZ

Auckland Council’s Governing Body voted recently to cancel a proposed multi-modal/micro-mobility centre that had been planned as part of the redevelopment of the Downtown Carpark site.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is happy with the decision.

“This centre was going to cost us $28 million and had no business case at all. I was elected to stop wasting money on stupid stuff like that, so I am happy we have been able to knock it on the head,” he said.

The Mayor also welcomed an offer by developer Precinct Properties to make 200 additional new short-stay carparks available in the Commercial Bay precinct, and there is an opportunity for the council to manage these for public benefit. Precinct also confirmed that they will continue to make available long-term carparks in the nearby Viaduct Carpark building, which has significant capacity.

“I am particularly happy to secure 200 short-stay carparks for the city and grateful to Precinct for the offer. One of my concerns about the previous council’s decision to sell the Downtown Carpark was about how we ensure the availability of carparking in the city centre, so this is a decent concession. Confirming that there are long-term carparks available is also great, given we heard they are particularly important for the residents of Waiheke,” he said.

Auckland Council decided to sell the Downtown Carpark for redevelopment in 2020, during the last electoral term.

Mayor Brown continued, “I did not vote to sell the Downtown Carpark building. That was a decision made by the previous council, which I probably wouldn’t have made at the time, certainly not with all the strings they attached. But I must be responsible with ratepayer money and the council’s reputation. This has got to the point where it is not responsible for council to pull out; we had to just get on with it.”

“The proposed redevelopment does represent a $1.5 billion investment into the city centre, which is pretty cool. That type of investment is a great vote of confidence in the city centre, of which I am a proud resident. I want to see people living here and it being a great place.”

A longer version of this article was first published in Our Auckland which is an official publication of Auckland Council.