Eke Panuku says the bridge will operate 24/7 once it is confident technical issues have been ironed out. Photo: RNZ / Maia Ingoe
- Auckland CBD businesses said increased foot traffic after the Wynyard Quarter Bridge re-opened gave them a much-needed boost.
- They hoped technical issues with the Wynyard Quarter Bridge would be fixed as soon as possible, but welcomed increased foot traffic after it re-opened.
- Auckland Council's development agency said it was working on minor technical issues.
- A new harbourside pool is also opening in the area
Businesses on Auckland's waterfront say they are cautiously optimistic about Wynyard Crossing Bridge being operational again.
Auckland Council has reassured its development agency Eke Panuku is rectifying "minor teething issues" after the bridge malfunctioned twice since re-opening on Friday.
The pedestrian bridge, which raises and lowers its span to allow boats to pass, had been closed for most of 2024 for major repairs.
Pedestrians had to walk for 20 minutes or take a ferry to get to Wynyard Quarter bars and restaurants.
Wynyard Pavilion general manager Alex Pearson said Friday was the venue's biggest day since last summer.
Pearson said the city's North Wharf was full of people the weekend after the bridge opened.
"When the bridge is up for boats to come through, there are hundreds of people waiting on either side.
"It has been amazing for all the businesses down here."
He was confident technical faults would be resolved.
"It seems like just some small faults and they seem to be fixing it as fast as possible.
"If they expect any major faults it would be great to get some communication from them but so far so good.
"We're trying to act positive."
But the general manager of The Conservatory Daniel Toldeo said the bridge's reduced operating hours meant it still was not business as usual.
"We've seen an increase in foot traffic which is very positive.
"But because the bridge is not fully open, people are leaving by 10pm or 10.15pm to catch the ferry or get to the bridge before it closes."
Toledo said in previous years when the bridge was open 24 hours a day, their patrons would stay until midnight.
He hoped all technical issues would be resolved in time for Sail GP in January.
"If it continues breaking down, I don't know if it will be very good for confidence. But we're hoping for the best."
Eke Panuku said the bridge would operate 24/7 once it was confident technical issues had been ironed out.
It was prioritising the safety of all users.
It cost around $10.6 million to fix the bridge, according to an update from Eke Panuku in October.
The $3.7m bridge was built in 2011, and designed to only have a short, five-year lifespan.
Keeping costs down a priority in pool development - mayor
Near the bridge, the Karanga Plaza steps have also had a makeover, and are being converted into an open-air harbourside pool.
Wayne Brown Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown said the free-to-use seawater pool equipped with four roped lanes, a jumping platform, and changing facilities, would open on Friday.
The mayor said the 33-metre-long swimming area cost $500,000 to upgrade.
The pool would be open seven days a week during the daytime, with lifeguards on duty during the peak times.
He said he asked Eke Panuku earlier this year to investigate a potential swimming area in the city centre harbour.
The mayor said because the steps were already a popular spot for people to swim and jump into the water it made sense to develop it into a safer dedicated pool.
"The idea was to develop a safe, affordable, lightweight structure to test the appeal of lap swimming in the city centre harbour.
"Utilising existing pontoons helped keep the costs down, and it's a good example of doing things better, faster, and cheaper."
He said the pool's water quality would be closely monitored and tested with live updates shared on SafeSwim's website.
The pool was a step toward transforming the northern end of Wynyard Point from an industrial area into a large-scale green space.
"Aucklanders elected me to make the most of our harbours and environment, which is one of my top five priorities.
"This new harbour pool is part of a much bigger piece of work that will see more of Auckland's prime waterfront transformed into vibrant public spaces for everyone to enjoy."
The regeneration of Wynyard Point had been allocated $119m in the Auckland Council's long-term plan.