Ciclovía: A temporary event closing the street to automobiles for use by others.
I dragged this idea out last winter… showed a few people my poster concepts… you know, trying to get them as jazzed as I was… and… it was a total, dismal, failure! But I’m putting it out there again because a ciclovía-style event is just what Auckland needs, and more to the point just what Auckland cycling needs. The best way for the public to realise that the street is not the sole domain of the motor-vehicle is for them to step off the footpath and start having fun out there without two-ton chunks of metal ruining the party.
What a blast it would be: Downtown Auckland closed to traffic every Sunday morning for a month. The cafés and bars would be humming, folks would venture in from the burbs (probably for the first time in years) and fun would be had by all, I’m sure of it.
…
And it’s not just about the cycling, walking, running, crawling, skating, scooting, pram-pushing and dog-walking… these “celebrations-of-the-street” can include all sorts of community activities: martial arts, ethnic food, street-artists, yoga, dancing, outdoor aerobics, BMX tricks, street-entertainers… the possibilities are endless.
So what do you think Auckland, who wants to take it on? I’m busy that weekend flossing the cat, but I’m sure someone out there is up for it. Who can have a word in Len’s ear?
Go for it. I’d go for K’rd as a venue. Have you tried the K’rd business association?
Those posters are brilliant! Don't give up!!!
The Waitemata Local Board made a start at discussing a Ciclovia-type event with Council and Auckland Transport late last / early this year. The idea was to use Quay Street.
However, the Quay Street works prevented that for the short term (i.e. last summer), and right now, I understand the board is hip-deep into making sure that the Auckland Plan and the city centre plan end up good documents. So I hope they will pick it up again for the coming summer.
For those who want to help a little, please make a submission on on the online form of the City Centre Master Plan, and suggest trial / Sunday closures for streets like Quay Street and/or Queen Street.
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/ABOUTCOUNCIL/PLANSPOLICIESPUBLICATIONS/THEAUCKLANDPLAN/CITYCENTREMASTERPLAN/Pages/home.aspx
Auckland City – head hunt this guy!
Gorgeous, Antoine. Keep it up.
Inspired – love it!
would be awesome to do this on 24th of September for 350 "Moving PLanet" Day of Action. would be extremely awesome even if you could just shut off say, for example, from Aotea Square down to Britomart. Or, being a bit more ambitious, imagine closing all of Tamaki Drive as well. NOW THAT WOULD BE COOL
Nice posters! If you haven't experienced one of these events they are FANTASTIC; I was lucky to see it in action in Portland, Oregon last year:
http://can.org.nz/article/is-it-time-to-have-a-sunday-parkway-in-your-town
They started with just one in 2008, and the reaction was immediately "great, when's the next one?" So now they hold five each year, one a month during summer, in different locations each time.
Every Sunday would be nice, but start small: plan for a great first one and then the punters will want to come back…
This is great!! I can now ride my bike from Triangle road in Massey to Auckland Central on pretty much purpose built bike lanes. Would love to cruize in on Sundays…buskers, bands, markets, displays, dancing, martial arts, coffee, bike, skateboards enjoying what should be a great city. Aucklanders need to stop listenering to the rest of NZ. We live in a very cool city with heaps going for it, lets get back to celebrating it!
Not a good idea to do it on Sunday mornings, most of the kiwis are hungover on Sundays…
Joking.
@Glen, I too think the Portland model one would be best. Multiple routes, all leading to/thru the cbd with plenty of volunteers. Count me in.
i'm italian and in italy no cars sunday have been happening for years now. mainly in winter time because cities' pollution limits were skyrocketing (sick) and the councils tried these event as an opportunity to reduce the pollution (not effective, if you don't change the whole transport system during the week). but it was great fun. people reclaiming the streets, kids, cyclists, Rollerblade, all sorts! in auckland would be awesome. what approaching the new major?
@Pietro
The Auckland Council knows of the desire to have a ciclovia but the process seems to have stalled. A lack of a critical mass? NZers like to believe they are world leaders but not in the realm of transport, obviously. We are good at rugby, though.