Auckland City dedicates week to celebrating heritage

Auckland City is planning to hold a heritage week to celebrate the city’s historic assets and give residents and visitors a chance to pay tribute to “the way we were”. The celebrations will run from Saturday 4 to Friday 10 September 2004.

The week will start with a hikoi (walk), organised by Auckland City and Ngati Whatua. Participants will enjoy a Maori heritage experience as two guides tell of the history behind various sites, weaving in myths, legends and Maori songs along the way.

Throughout the week, heritage enthusiasts can enjoy an array of events and tours, most of which will be free of charge or entry by small donation. These will include: a free “hop on/hop off” bus, which will be running a circuit around Auckland’s inner suburbs, stopping at heritage attractions such as Ewelme Cottage in Parnell, Alberton (a historic house in Mt Albert) and Highwic House, Epsom.

These are all New Zealand Historic Places Trust attractions and entry will be discounted during the week a free guided bus tour around heritage attractions in the central Auckland area free ferry tours, compliments of Ports of Auckland, around the Auckland port to give participants insight into the history behind New Zealand’s largest maritime gateway for trade discounted trips to Rangitoto Island, courtesy of Fullers, to experience the island’s natural and built heritage guided and self-guided tours of some of Auckland’s oldest and most beautiful buildings.

This includes the Auckland Town Hall and the Civic Theatre, where a film showing the construction of the building will screen guided tours of Auckland’s unique art deco buildings (courtesy of the Auckland Art Deco Society) guided tours of Albert Park and the Symonds Street cemetery weeklong displays in some of Auckland’s libraries with photos and information about the history and development of Auckland’s town centres a photographic display in the old CPO building special guest speaker evenings covering topics such as Victorian villas; ‘restoration, renovation and reuse’; ‘mixing the old with the new’; ‘building tomorrow’s heritage’ and heritage architecture various events and activities organised by local community groups to highlight the interesting heritage aspects of their areas.

Event organisers are also planning to reveal some of the “secrets of the city” – a rare chance to discover some of the little-known tales and hidden places around the central business district (CBD).

The week is part of the Auckland City’s long-term campaign to protect heritage areas and buildings and encourage the public to appreciate these assets and celebrate their city’s unique history.

Councillor Juliet Yates, chairperson of the City Development Committee, says “Heritage has always been a key issue for Auckland City and recent events have shown Aucklanders’ passion for preserving and protecting our history. This week is to showcase the wonderful assets in the city and take a moment to appreciate our past.”

For further information on the heritage week or any other heritage issue, please phone (09) 379 2020 or visit www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/heritage.

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