Kia ora neighbour,
The predominant focus of our work on site this month has been clearing, leveling, and where necessary, demolishing building elements to ensure the vacant area surrounding the new station building is ready for future development.
In line with this future focus, we’ve welcomed high profile visitors to the site, most notably the Prime Minister and Mayor alongside senior cabinet ministers and council representatives to experience the first ‘public’ train ride through the new tunnels – more on this visit and the preparation behind the scenes below.
Subsequent visits have seen Auckland Council’s Chief Economist Gary Blick viewing the station and surrounding development area, and the return of acclaimed artist Tessa Harris, who brought her sons for an emotional first viewing of her dramatic art piece, the grand waterwall that graces the new station foyer.
While there is still significant finishing and testing works to complete across our Maungawhau Station site, Auckland Transport is working on strategies that will help maximise the returns in the public realm. Details about how to engage in the consultation process are below.
As always, if you have any questions about our construction activities coming up, don’t hesitate to get in touch at mteden@linkalliance.co.nz or 0800 CRL TALK press 5 for Maungawhau Station.
You can also follow Link Alliance’s progress by clicking the social media buttons below.
Ngā mihi,
The Maungawhau Station team.
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Maungawhau Station update
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This month we have focused our work around the Maungawhau Station site to tidying, preparing and finishing the final footpath surfaces, and re-installing the new station bus stop on Mt Eden Road.
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The environment is looking tidy and fresh with final resurfacing of footpaths along Mt Eden Road complete and the new bus stop shelter reinstated.
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The pedestrian walkway from Mt Eden Road, along the new Ruru Lane is lit by newly installed streetlights and is wide enough to accommodate pedestrians, pushchairs, bikes and scooters.
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Cars and taxis will be able to swoop past the station, dropping off or picking up passengers before continuing on up Ruru St to New North Road or ducking to the right along Nikau St.
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Inside the Station Building
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Passenger amenities are installed and being tested. Water fountains, even dog drinking fountains, toilets and parent rooms are also up and running.
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Even the ‘smallest rooms’ in the station passed their first official VIP visit with flying colours.
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Water fountains in the station will keep future human and canine visitors refreshed.
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The scale and size of the foyer at Maungawhau Station is striking – the waterwall is operational and the stairs, escalators and the elevators are ready for commuters. Plenty of ticketing turnstiles, a generous sized ticketing desk and wide thoroughfares will help direct commuters up to the East West Line overpass or down to the CRL platform.
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Maungawhau Station's grand and open entry is designed to make commuting a swift and efficient experience, accommodating large volumes of passengers onto both East West Line and CRL platforms.
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While our work continues in and around the new Maungawhau Station we are lucky to hear and see the regular East West Line service fly past, a regular reminder of how the new station will interact with the rail network.
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Carefully wrapped, the platform signage is installed and being tested.
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Behind the scenes of a successful event
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The media did a wonderful job of capturing the energy of the inaugural public train ride on New Zealand’s first underground. For weeks prior to the big day, the station was buzzing with excitement and the sound of everyone working hard to put our best foot forward and show the world the magnificent community asset that is Maungawhau Station.
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One last clean of the newly minted tiles in the station plaza the night before the big event. It was a proud crew that prepared the station for the big day.
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Water blasting in the rail corridor to put our best foot forward to the dignitaries and media guests who would share images of the City Rail Link with the world.
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Concrete detailing to frame the station entrance
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There is complexity in creating beautiful things, even for something that we might think of as simple. In our latest station timelapse video we share some of the magic that went into creating swirls of concrete to make the new Maungawhau plaza pop. We made this one for our technical construction fans – enjoy!
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Click on the image to view a timelapse of the workmanship behind this striking concrete footpath design.
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Honouring ancestors and a bright future
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It was our great pleasure to welcome back acclaimed artist Tessa Harris (Waiohua, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāpuhi) along with her sons Kian Ah Sue (21) and Kalani Ah Sue (19) to view the magnificent waterwall that Tessa designed for the new Maungawhau Station foyer. See the moment captured live.
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Tessa’s own ancestral links to Maungawhau whakapapa back to Waiohua, with Tessa descending from Puhihuia the legendary daughter of the Chief of Maungawhau.
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This proud and emotional moment was also witnessed by our co-sponsor at Auckland Council, including the Council’s own Chief Economist Gary Blick who was keen to join the group to explore the new station and reflect on the economic potential this project might bring for the Uptown, Eden Terrace and the city as a whole.
Check out his full Q+A here - The economics of Maungawhau Station - OurAuckland
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“A more productive Auckland is a more competitive Auckland – and ultimately more liveable for everyone” – Auckland Council Chief Economist.
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On the up with Uptown Business Association
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One of the pleasures of being a part of this Uptown neighbourhood has been the opportunity to work with Brent Kennedy and his team at the Uptown Business Association.
Since teaming up we’ve celebrated multiple events together from Aroha in Uptown in early days, to the massively successful Branch Out Festivals of recent years. The partnership and shared journey with the Uptown Business Association is a story of success.
The first Aroha in Uptown festival celebrated all kinds of love over Valentine’s weekend in 2021. As the project nears completion it is with aroha that we reflect on five years of community engagement together.
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Aroha in Uptown 2021 was the first joint event run between Link Alliance, City Rail Link and the Uptown Business Association.
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Aroha in Uptown 2022 featured the legend of love, our very own Elvis
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Aroha in Uptown 2023 was located along the upper span of Mt Eden Road, from one end of the station frontage to the other - despite gale force winds and impending storm warnings!
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Aroha in Uptown 2023 focused on a smaller geographic area of the community and proved a huge hit with Uptown families.
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2023 was a big year of events for the CRL/Uptown partnership. The Branch Out Festival 2023 was the first year that we closed off Nikau Street foreshadowing the future energy in the streets anticipated when the station opens to the public.
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The Branch Out festivals saw Nikau Street transformed into an open-air market bustling with Uptown fun for young and old.
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The most successful event to date, Branch Out 2024 attracted huge crowds of locals and visitors to enjoy the stalls of local business and participate in games and activities. The decision to close Nikau Street to vehicle traffic for the public to play again, proved the right thing to do.
The Uptown Business Association has welcomed CRL and Link Alliance into the community from day one, and we have appreciated their passion and commitment to lobbying for the best outcome for the community at all times.
We’re excited to hear that plans are well underway for some future events and Uptown celebrations. Stay tuned via Uptown AKL on Instagram, Facebook and of course their beautiful quarterly magazine.
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Maungawhau Station development site – have your say!
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Auckland Council and Auckland Transport have provided an update on the large development site adjacent to the new station, including an opportunity to have your say on its interim use.
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Permanent development is likely to be several years away, so in the interim an activation strategy is being developed to be in place in time for the opening of the City Rail Link. The aim is to create a welcoming, vibrant and functional environment for transport users and the local Uptown community.
Auckland Transport has engaged Fresh Concept (place-making business local to the area) to support this work. We encourage you to have your say!
Click here to read the full update to the community.
Click here to share your views about the interim spaces.
Survey closes 22 September.
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