MEDIA RELEASE

27 September 2002

Some facts and figures behind Auckland’s big America’s Cup welcome parade

Planning for tomorrow’s big America’s Cup 2003 and Louis Vuitton Welcome Parade has been in full swing since May of this year through Auckland City Council’s events and film facilitation section.

The parade is being jointly sponsored by Louis Vuitton, America’s Cup 2003 (Team NZ) and Auckland City and begins at 4.00pm and will be finished by 5.00pm.

The parade organiser is Pam Glaser of Crackerjack Promotions (ph 535 4185) who also organises the annual Farmer’s Santa Parade.

Preparations began with the installation of advisory signage 14 September. Early Tuesday (24 September) morning contractors put into place a blue line along the route to enable the crowd to view the parade clearly and safely. Warning signage will also be installed along the route on bus shelters and awnings warning spectators not to use these as vantage points for their own safety.

Based on previous similar parades somewhere between 3 and 6 tonnes of rubbish will be generated. Five vehicles and 21 staff will be involved in the parade cleanup which is expected to take about two and a half-hours. Cleaning the roads will be the main priority and Police will help the cleanup crew, with traffic control, to complete the work by 5.30pm in time for roads to re-open.

Contractors include:
- Metrowaste – cleanup
- City Contract Services – blue line installation
- Network Visuals - signage

80,000 spectators, over 100 volunteers, 22 performance groups and the 10 syndicates (adding up to 900 team members) and 12 bands will participate in the parade. Five pre-parade bands, Auckland Theatresports and Air NZ and Fuji Xerox provided crowd warmers will distribute 50,000 fabric flags of the competing nations along with inflatable ‘beach balls’ to create the festive atmosphere.

The council has been liasing with Stagecoach in re-routing bus services, St John, and NZ Police (Central planning office and the America's Cup Operation) in terms of security and safety of parade participants and the crowd.

From the council perspective representatives from Noise Control, Traffic and Roading Services, Parking Services and Parks and Streetscape Services have been involved in the parade work.

ENDS

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