Street Art ... #306

A newly uncovered wall due to the building being demolished, presents a new canvas for some street art ... Taranaki Street

Relay for Life ... #305

On Saturday (29/03/2008) and Sunday (30/03/2008) the Wellington Relay for Life happened. Anna (my daughter) and I walked arounfd the circuit from about 1:30 am thru to 3:00am in the rain. We were part of the TechTonics Team (where I used to work) and like us, many other corporate and school teams took part for a very good cause. Even though it rained all the time ( and we do really need rain at present) everyone was in good spirits. The main photo is a vew down Jervois Quay where part of the road is blocked off to allow room for the runners and walkers.

The school teams run as a relay team for all the event while other teams have a relay of walkers. Anna and I got dressed up as mimes this year. Because it was so wet the remberance candles in decorated paper bags were placed in the carpark beneath Frank Kitts Park.

Anyone with spare time can come along and support the people doing the run/walk to raise funds for the Cancer Society.If you'd like to donate, Relay for Life has an oline form to donate directly (pick IBM NZ as the team ;) ). All funds raised are used to improve community well-being by reducing the incidence and impact of Cancer.
The schedule is:29th March:2:30pm Cancer Survivors Afternoon Tea 3:45pm Opening Ceremony 4:00pm Survivors/Carers Lap of Honour 6:30pm Cancer Survivors Champagne Hour 8:30pm Candle Light Ceremony 30th March:12:30am Datamail Disco06:00am Bodyworks Warm Up11.30am Closing Ceremony
What is Relay For Life?
Relay For Life is a fun-filled, overnight event to raise funds for research and programs for the Cancer Society.

How does it work?
The challenge is for teams of 10 or more to complete a relay-style walk or run at selected venues throughout New Zealand. Team members take turns to keep their baton moving overnight, enjoying the sensational festive atmosphere created through entertainment, camping, spot prizes and most importantly the vibrancy of the hundreds of lively people on the track!
The highlights at each event include the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Survivors' Walk and the Candlelight Ceremony.Who can participate?
Everyone is welcome. This is an event for people of all ages and levels of fitness and is open to everyone in the community, with teams formed between friends, family and workmates.

Friday Night Rugby ... #304

Well it was a great night for every other reason except the result, it was warm, a great crowd ... nearly a full house at the Stadium ... lots of action. Sitting in a T-shirt watching night Rugby ... you had to question whether you were really in Wellington ... and then with the result you realised ... YES this is Wellington and our beloved Hurricanes !!!

BUT here is the match report

Crusaders bury Hurricanes 20-13
By JIM KAYES - The Dominion Post Friday, 28 March 2008

As omens go, getting turned over at the first ruck is not a great way to start, and when the Crusaders crossed for a try less than two minutes later, things were already looking bleak. By halftime they were ahead 17-3, Jimmy Gopperth had missed two reasonably straight forward penalties, the Hurricanes had barely fired a shot on attack, and were staring at defeat number 12 at the hands of the Crusaders.

It was a sell-out at Westpac Stadium tonight, though only 31,571 rather than the fullhouse of 34,500 went through the turnstiles. They would have left with mixed emotions. For the Hurricanes fans it was a disappointing night as their team lost 20-13 and slipped to a second Super 14 defeat and the eighth in nine clashes against the Crusaders under coach Colin Cooper.

But rugby folk would have walked away knowing they had witnessed another quality performance from a rugby dynasty. What is it about the Crusaders that allows them to keep winning even when they are not completely on top of their game and in control? If it's a quality that can be bottled and sold, you'd quickly slip past Bill Gates on the rich list.

If the TAB still has a book on who will win the Super 14 it's a short story. There are contenders in the Sharks, Blues, and possibly the Hurricanes, but they will have to play well to beat the Crusaders. Tonight was proof of that. The Hurricanes played okay, at least in the second half, but they still weren't good enough.

It was hooker Corey Flynn who crossed for the early try and with centre Casey Laulala finding space outside Hurricanes second five-eighth Tamati Ellison, the Crusaders could have crossed for a few more tries early on.

Instead they managed only one more in the first half when No8 Mose Tuiali'i put through a kick Daniel Carter would have been proud of. It certainly baffled his opposite, Rodney So'oialo, who missed it completely to the delight of born-again lock Ali Williams, who scored his second try for the six-time champions.

Piri Weepu replaced Gopperth as the penalty kicker and narrowed the gap soon after the break, but Carter had to pack out to 14 points in a jiffy. Hooker Andrew Hore thought he was over in the 54th minute as the Hurricanes lifted their attack, but referee Steve Walsh, who had been playing advantage in their favour, spotted So'oialo holding a Crusaders down to create the gap for Hore. Though the Hurricanes finished with the penalty, the Crusaders defended the lineout, turned the ball over and when the Hurricanes were penalised, the pressure valve was released yet again. They could have scored in 62nd minute when Tane Tu'ipulotu intercepted, but fumbled and dropped the ball with the line beckoning. Hore did get a try when he was driven over after a Jason Eaton lineout take after Tuiali'i was sinbinned for he and his team's constant infringing.

Gopperth, back as kicker because Weepu had been replaced, nailed the conversion to close the gap to 13-20 but then missed a straight forward penalty. As the kick off suggested, it wasn't the 'canes night.

OPT ... #303

An early morning photo looking across the marina to the Overseas Passenger Terminal (see yesterday's photo). The photo was taken from the north side of the new restaurant & apartment building in front of the Herd Street apartment building.

Smooth Waters ... #302

This photo looking across the inner harbour towards the yacht marina, was taken by Inka, a German student who stayed with us.

On the left hand side, with the spire, is the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT)... so called as this was where the overseas passenger ships used to berth during the the 60s, and 70s and until they got too large and air transport became the norm. All of the large cruise ships now berth at the wharves opposite the Westpac Stadium. Centre of photo is the marina with the large Herd Street Post Office Building (now expensive apartments). The Triathlete posting a few days ago was taken on the southern (other) side of this building. The blue and lime green building to the right is the Mr Chan's Foods building ... and to the very right hand side you can see the tan end of Te Papa.

Please take special note of the very flat "Windy Wellington" harbour !!!

HISTORY of the OPT
The original concrete wharf of Clyde Quay was finished in 1910, and extended and widened in 1964 to enable the construction of the Overseas Passenger Terminal. However, as air travel rapidly took over the international travel market, the new building’s purpose as a terminal for overseas visitors and migrants was never fully realised.
Over the years the OPT has been used variously as a function centre, office space, for restaurants and businesses serving the adjacent Chaffers Marina.

The Overseas Passenger Terminal in 2006
With eventual redevelopment always in mind, the wharf and building have only ever had routine maintenance carried out and age and the harsh marine environment have taken their toll. The Wellington Waterfront Framework acknowledged the heritage values of the OPT and required that it be retained and developed.
In 2004, a Design Brief was prepared by the Wellington City Council’s Technical Advisory Group to develop the OPT and wharf. The Brief was presented to and approved by the City Council’s Waterfront Development Sub-committee in May 2004 and Wellington Waterfront Ltd (WWL) was given the go-ahead to seek development proposals. A great deal of interest in the development opportunity was shown from developers and investors within New Zealand and overseas. Following a rigorous evaluation process, involving WWL and the Council’s Technical Advisory Group, the Willis Bond proposal designed by Athfield Architects Ltd was selected. It was considered to have best met the Design Brief and also offered a return that WWL could reinvest in waterfront public space.

A structural upgrade has become urgent
Structural engineers have assessed the current condition of the OPT and wharf and concluded they are in poor condition, requiring approximately $10 million to save them from demolition and upgrade them to a standard acceptable under the Building Act 2004. The original concrete wharf structure under the building footprint is now almost 100 years old and is in a parlous state.

Exposed concrete pile reinforcing
The concrete wharf slab, deck beams and lattice bracing have been severely affected by the seawater environment – making the concrete crumble away in places, exposing the reinforcing.

Deterioration of roofing struts
Tests also indicate that a number of the piles were not originally installed deeply enough and are under-strength.
The timber wharf extensions and piles, built in the 1960s prior to construction of the terminal building, are getting narrower in parts due to tidal erosion. A small number of piles are completely rotten and require replacement. Some connecting bolts are severely rusted and also require replacement. Seismic assessment of the existing structures has determined that under the terms of the Building Act 2004, the site can almost be described as Earthquake Prone. The seismic code requirements that come into effect in late 2006 mean significant upgrading must occur to ensure compliance. The existing building above the wharf is also in need of repair with parts of the structure – including the roof – in a poor state.

Where's my bus?... #301

Courtenay Place .. outside the Courtenay Central movie complex

Police Promo ... #300

From the Wellingtonian's easter travels

"THIS IS NOT AN UNMARKED POLICE CAR ... anything else could be"

... a moving promotion aimed at keeing speeds down on the open road. I followed this truck for about 5 km on an early morning trip up to Auckland over the Easter weekend.

... and on the bonnet of the Jag ... it gives something to reflect on!!

Taupo Sky... #299

Well the Wellingtonians went to Taupo for the Easter break .. Lake Taupo is the big big patch of blue in the middle of the North Island and Taupo is at the north eastern corner .. about 380km from Wellington ... and the population doubles in size ar least during holiday periods... Lake Taupo at dusk looking north towards Arcacia Bay

A Lifesaver ... #298

Young lifesavers trying to open the back of their trailer ... at the carpark by the boat marina ... between Te Papa and the Overseas Terminal.

Tri-athlete ... #297

Saturday 22 March
A tri-athlete taking in the space at Waitangi Park .. the Monastry on the hill in the background .. above Oriental Bay .. Mt Victoria up to the right hand top corner .. and again the ubiquitous orange guardians

8 Poets ... #296

An alternative image of Wellington today .. I took part in a workshop on ChangeLabs on Wednesday and Thursday, which was about new ways of tackling complex and challenging issues.

During the workshop we all had to write a poem about the process or the experience so far .. thoughts ... feelings .. insights. The workshop was about a 50/50 mix of males and females. The interesting observation (by a female) after the participants who had wished to present their poems did so ... was that the poets were all male .. so the 8 of us who presented our creative works had to get a group photo at the end of the workshop ... well we are actually 7 here as one had to leave early. Some thoughtful literative poses ... and "that's me in the corner" as the song goes .. well not exactly .. I am in the back with the book.

Have a safe easter weekend.

elevated clarity ... #295

A new perspective on shop window cleaning ... Lambton Quay ... above the All Black Champions sportswear store

Adelaide Nights ... #294

While we go to sleep, these guys are hard at work ripping up the old road surface .. they did that Sunday night and last night (Tuesday night) they were back again putting down the new bitumin surface ... fluro orange vests with reflecting tape, orange "Guardian" cones and the smell of hot tar.

This is outside the Wellington Rugby office in Adelaide Road ... and I was standing on the corner next to the Tramways pub.

Self Portrait... #293

I realise that the Body Wall/Movie Wall has already featured last week. However when we were first there it was very crowded. Well I called in last night (the last night) and there were very few people there.. so I took the opportunity to do a mono-movie!! 11pm and still warm enough for shorts. To give you some idea of the scale, the low window to the right of my left leg is about 2 metres above the ground ... so I felt like a giant of a man that night !!!

While I was there a Commerce student called by with a logo transparency to get some images for a marketing project he was doing. We managed to get the focus right by holding both ends of the plastic sheet at the right angle, while his girl friend took the photo ... innovative use of street art.

Dragon Boat Festival ... #292

NZCT Wellington Dragon Boat Festival 08
The Wellington Dragon Boat Festival was held this weekend ... 15 - 16 March and was an action packed weekend on Wellington's waterfront.

Wellington teams will be the first teams to paddle in the newest boats in New Zealand. The NZDBA has acquired an internationally sanctioned mold to build the brand new boats out of. This could only have been achieved with the support of the New Zealand Community Trust and the Wellington City Council.
The Wellington Dragon Boat Festival is held on the Wellington Harbour waterfront, right in front of Frank Kitts Park. With a massive promenade, park seating, bridges and wharves there are a myriad of great vantage points to see the action as the Dragon Boaters race down a course that hugs the shoreline.
One of the biggest Festivals in the country. Festival owner and director Ian (Ferg) Ferguson loves the excitement of this event. Renowned world wide as a great festival venue, Wellington Harbour can sure throw a mean party for the competitiors when it wants to.
The course is set just metres off Frank Kitts promenade, making spectating accessible and exciting for everyone. Add to that food stalls, crafts, jewellery, face painting, chinese lion dancers, jugglers, and sometimes even Army tanks, this is an event that will keep you entertained all day long.
During the festival weekend over 80 adult and school teams raced to determine the champions. With social and championship grades many of the teams will walk away with medals, trophies and prizes for their efforts. Dragon Boat racing is a dynamic and interesting sport which has survived the rise and fall of many corporate team building activities. As well as being a good fitness program, the Festival puts a big emphasis on adding value to a good time.
Saturday is the adults day, with corporate and open races running all day. The grand finals are held in the afternoon, where the competition is fierce. Then on Sunday the school students get to show their stuff with the college races and lots of vocal supporters.

Arresting Rubbish ... #291

Not really sure what is going on here ??? ... but following the "wheelibin" meeting the ubiquitous green bins could be protesting against their work conditions ... and this one has been arrested for protesting outside Parliament.

... here we have two Parliament Security Guards and one Police Office interrogating a green rubbish bin ... which at this stage is saying nothing. Despite having wheels it does not appear to be intent on doing a runner ... and then handcuffs have not yet been brought out.

Now who made the comments about us being over regulated !!

Morning Glow ... #290

This morning ... Looking west towards the hills above Crofton Downs ... the warm glow of the rising sun still reminds that the great weather is still with us ... it has been one of the best summers for a number of years.

The Face of Government ... #289

The public service cube farm ... layer upon layer. The Charles Fergusson Building was built 1975-1979 by James Wallace Pty Limited, for the sum of NZ$5,215,675

Sir Charles Fergusson, was Governor-General from 1924 to 1930. His father Sir James Fergusson, was governor from 1873 to 1874 and his son Sir Bernard Fergusson was Governor-General from 1962 to 1967.

Bikers for Boobs ... #288

First there was Boobs on Bikes, now a new group, Bikers for Boobs has hit the road.Thirty riders arrived in Wellington from Auckland, stopping at the bottom of parliament's steps and holding a protest rally.
They presented a petition calling for twelve months access to the early stage cancer drug Herceptin. The government's drug buying agency will fund nine weeks of Herceptin but has refused to fund it for a year. Spokeswoman Maxine Cook told those gathered that she feels let down by the government and its failure to respond to women who need the drug.

Doctors and lobby groups have criticised the decision, saying the 12 months option has proven to be effective. They say the nine-week combination treatment is unproven and based on a small sample of women in a Finnish trial. Eight patients took Pharmac to court last month seeking a judicial review of Pharmac's funding.

"Hello" Wellington... #287

YES the wind is back ... nearly blowing you off your feet in the city and in Ngaio the "wheelibins" all congregated down the end of the road for their annual meeting. I understand that the main item on the agenda was "a load of rubbish"

The weather is still warm but the gentle zephyrs have gone up a couple of notches.

Gravity & Other Myths ... #286

A spectacular outdoor new circus showcase inspired by the stars! This photo shows the artiste spinning on the flaming rope ... "and no I am not swearing". The slower shutter speed silouettes the body against the path of the flamed rope.

As the stars appear, for eight nights Queens Wharf will be home to some of the country’s best new circus, performing on a purpose built outdoor circus rig, combined with pyrotechnics, spectacular lighting, sound and AV design.

Gravity and Other Myths brings together a nationally and internationally experienced creative team with some of the hottest new stars. Gravity and Other Myths will have its world premier at Queens Wharf then tour nationally and internationally in the years to come. The grandeur and dynamic nature of space meets the most extreme and spectacular performance world of new circus! Acts using fire, stilt walking, trapeze, web, bungy, hula hoops, dance and object animation will draw inspiration from astronomy. From the geometry of heavenly bodies to super nova explosions, from quantum physics to Maori astronomy, this is a show that will leave audiences breathless in amazement!

Event organiser and performer Tom Beauchamp says that Gravity and Other Myths will please existing fans and draw in new ones. “We’re bringing more performers, more drama, more humour and more entertainment. Rehearsals have been going incredibly well and we’re really looking forward to seeing the reactions from the crowds.”

New to the 2008 season is a display by legendary dance company Footnote Dance. They will open each show with a hybrid of contemporary dance and aerial circus, entitled ‘Footnote Fused’. The main show will also feature a new section where performers will wear masks made especially for the show, and a double swinging trapeze routine, which has to be seen to be believed.

If you couldn’t afford to go to Auckland and pay over $100.00 to see Cirque Du Soleil, don’t miss your chance to see the finest home grown New Circus!

The Agony & The Extascy ... #285

Shane Reed overcame the loss of his grandfather to claim the Oceania championships triathlon title in Wellington yesterday, and with it a third Beijing Olympics spot for New Zealand.The popular 34-year-old from New Plymouth admitted afterwards that Olympic silver medallist Bevan Docherty, who finished 13 seconds behind in second, "might have let me have it" but that was irrelevant as he embraced wife Tammy and their one-year-old son Lucas.
The Kiwi one-two was made easier by the late withdrawal from the race by Australian Olympic hopefuls Peter Robertson and Craig Walton, who chose to conserve themselves for the crucial Olympic qualification race in Mooloolaba, Queensland, in three weeks.

... however not only was this the race for the elite triathlon athletes ... there was also age group and team races for a range of ages and capabilities ... another awesome day in the capital

Body Movies ... #284

You make the art.
Playful, communal, carnivalesque. Body Movies, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's larger-than-life, award-winning installation, is at the crossroads of technology and performance. Hundreds of photo portraits taken on the streets of New Zealand, mixed with those taken from other cities where the work has been shown, is projected onto the Cable Street façade of Te Papa. Bright lights placed at ground level completely wash out the portraits. As passers-by walk into the area their silhouettes are thrown onto the building, revealing the portraits underneath.You can match or animate the portraits depending on where you stand or what you do.

Lozano-Hemmer calls his projects "relational architecture" and stages them in response to a "crisis of urban self-representation". Representing Mexico for its debut at the 2007 Venice Biennale, Rafael's work has been shown in more than two dozen cities and has won numerous awards, including a Prix Ars Electronica and two BAFTAs.Inspired by surveillance equipment and robotics, Lozano-Hemmer surrenders control of the work to you. Animate the portraits, make shadow-play, interact with fellow onlookers – and take back the city.
Playful, communal and carnivalesque,

Body Movies is the crossroads of technology and performance.
cost: Free
featuring: rafael lozano-hemmer
dates: Fri 22 Feb 08 - Sun 16 Mar 08, every day, 9:00pm
venue: Te Papa, Cable Street, Wellington region: Wellington, New Zealand

Cuba Street ... #283

This is one of the character buildings in Cuba Street ... no. 126. Cuba Street is an eclectic mix of cultures, architectural styles and ethnic food ... a great way to spend an afternoon is to wandar up one side and back down the other.

Location and Origin
Named after an early settler ship to New Zealand, the Cuba, it is to the south of the CBD, but still in the inner city. Cuba Street was once the route of the Wellington trams. Following the removal of the rails, the middle section of the street was closed to traffic in 1969, and is one of the busiest areas of pedestrian activity in Wellington.

Local People and Activities
It is one of the more bohemian areas of Wellington, and is the home to an eclectic collection of cafes, small fashion stores, art galleries and music shops. It is the centre of one of the four 'quarters' of downtown Wellington, the Cuba Quarter (the others being centred on Lambton Quay, Courtenay Place and Willis Street). The northern end is more commercial, and the southern end (known as the 'top' of Cuba Street, or upper Cuba) is more sparsely occupied.
Cuba Street is also one of the main hang-outs of Wellington's homeless community, including the Wellington icon Blanket Man. He can often be seen (when not in his more traditional hang-out of Courtenay Place) in Cuba Mall, at the intersection with Ghuznee Street. Also due its proximity to the Te Aro campus of Victoria University and by its very nature, it is heavily populated by students.
The street is regarded by most New Zealanders as a nexus of creativity and artistic production, featuring buskers, exhibition spaces, protests, stone carving, and other forms of expression. In 2005, the new Wellington Arts Centre was established in Abel Smith Street, a half block from upper Cuba Street. Within a few blocks are Enjoy Gallery, the Moko (Tattoo) Museum, Thistle Hall, Mary Newton Gallery, Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design, and Access Radio.

Something old - something new.... #282

Oriental Bay in the setting sun ... my prerefence is the white house in the centre .. despite some architectural flourishes the modern buildings don't make the grade

A Fair Day... #281

Newtown Fair Day 2008
Always a highlight of the Newtown Festival, the fair day this year included performances from some of the stars of the New Zealand music scene including The Phoenix Foundation, The Avaitors, The Yoots, The Sam Manzanza Band and Hikoikoi. The Fair Day featured five stages, including a DJ Stage on Newtown Ave with Wellington's premier selectors showcasing musical styles from around the world, a latin stage on Emmett Street, stages on Wilson and Green Streets and much more! The streets was lined with over 200 food, art and craft stalls, a car show, mental health stand plus a games area for the kids!This year the Fair Day also had an eco-friendly focus, with recycling initiatives being put in place. On Fair Day, various central streets in Newtown are closed to vehicular traffic and have parking restrictions in place.

Construction Artiste... #280

The rebuilding of Lambton Quay " The Golden Mile" continues in and around the daily pedestrian traffic. One half of the footpath then the other ... precisely working its way around the trees, telephone booths manhole covers, and post boxes. This looking south towards the State Building ... the black building centre background.

Going to the Game... #279

This family has divided loyalties ... may be the unbalanced support .. two for the Hurricanes and one for the Chiefs fortold the nights result

Hurricanes 39 Chiefs 19
Four first half tries have helped the Hurricanes to a 39-19 win over the Chiefs in their round three Super 14 match in Wellington on Friday night.
Ma'a Nonu, Jimmy Gopperth, Alby Mathewson and Shannon Paku all crossed in the opening forty minutes to give the home side a 14-point halftime lead, while tries in the second half to Rodney So'oialo and Chris Masoe secured the Hurricanes' second victory of the competition.

Awesome Cyclettes... #278

The NZCT Women’s Cycle Tour of New Zealand started on Wednesday 27th February with a circuit around Fraser Park in Lower Hutt. The following day, Thursday, riders did Stage Two, 110km from Martinborough to Masterton On Friday the riders took on the most difficult stage in the tour, a 125km race including six major hill climbs and finished with a 12km “Top of the Mountain” climb to the top of Admiral Hill in the Wairarapa. This is the same stage used by the men’s in last month’s Trust House Cycle Classic, one of the hardest stages for any tour in New Zealand. On Saturday stage four took place in the Miramar circuit. A distance of 124km, riders completed 12 laps of the circuit, the stage include a hill climb up Awa Rd each lap.

The Five-day tour finished with the Wellington Criterium on Sunday on a complete close circuit at the bottom of Lambton Quay. The field was made up of current Olympic champions, World Champions and national Champions from top European nations and New Zealand. The highest ranked New Zealanders on the list is Joanne Kiesanowski, ranked 21st and she rode the tour as part of her professional Cervelo-Lifeforce Pro Cycling Team from Switzerland. The field was made up of national teams from Australia, Japan, China, South Africa, Ukraine and New Zealand as well as professional teams from USA, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Belgium, Italy and Germany.

... One of the youngest NZ riders .. Rachel Mercer (black strip) finished in 22nd place and is now heading off to belgium for training and team competition .. GOOD LUCK Rachel

Aotearoa Graffiti... #277

Apologies to the DP Community .. the extra day this year has obviously caused some brain fade !!! forgot about registering for the Theme Day but had images ready as you can now see!!

Sanctioned graffiti at Waitangi Park .. and appropriate for "down-under" as Aotearoa is the maori name for New Zealand.

Oh Shit !!!... #276

This will create one of those "oh schrott" moments when the owner returns to get the car from the carpark ... obviously they either didn't pay or the time ran out or they forgot to display the ticket ... so suddenly $10 parking turns into a $20 taxi ride to the towage warehouse and $180 to get your car back .... you might ask how I know all this ... well last month my car was towed when the parking ticket blew off the dashboard into the passengers footwell ... I had left my window open a couple of centimetres cause it was a hot day .... BUGGER !!!