Wynyard solution

Most comments suggest the America’s Cup wharfage, sheds and so on will eventually give way to some commercial projects, similar to those already on Princes and Queens Wharfs, shutting the harbour off to the public and presenting a wall of buildings at the harbour’s edge. They are correct.

There is one answer. Place all the Cup buildings along the eastern edge of Wynyard Wharf, with the gap between the concrete and land sections filled, providing a site about 52m by 500m, with a 10m to 12m combined road and walkway on the harbour’s edge adjacent to the jetties, “New Brigham St”.

The large area of the existing car park would accommodate a return for two of the buildings, with a gap of 40-50m by 150m. entered from Hamer St. This would create a great place for Aucklanders to mix and mingle with the New Brigham St crowd, giving a truly carnival spirit.

If, as some suggest, health and safety issues might make this difficult, then the question has to be asked, “What is the event for?” Is it just some international players having a game that the public of New Zealand cannot join: a bit like going to Eden Park to watch the game on TV?

All this will not cost $190 million as the Halsey proposal would (which will, of course, balloon to $220m or more).

The legacy could be a 200m-high building, self-funded, on the rest of the site as it becomes available. None of the America’s Cup site development is wasted, the public will have a beautiful park, and a building to the standards of a Guggenheim forever. What might be achieved can be viewed at spacetimetower.com.

D.H.R. Aubrey, Tauranga.