Maungawhau-Mt Eden
Introduction |
Summit Road upgrade |
Expressions of Interest to redevelop Langtons tea kiosk |
Options considered |
Preferred visitor, transport and summit options |
History |
Management plan |
Conservation plan
Options considered
The request for Expressions of Interest process supersedes all alternative
options for a visitor centre at present. The council is looking at options for a visitor centre, alternatives to heavy
vehicles and summit improvements.
A visitor centre will mean Maungawhau-Mt Eden moves from being simply a
viewing point, to give visitors a comprehensive and detailed understanding of
the mountain's cultural and geological history.
Currently the summit road is in poor condition and there is conflict between
pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. We're looking at options to reduce
pressure on the existing road and slopes and at reducing the noise and pollution
of vehicles.
We also want to improve the summit area to provide visitors with better
opportunities for viewing the city.
We consulted with key stakeholders in developing plans for a visitor
centre, transport option and summit improvements and we asked for your feedback
on the options.
Visitor centre options
Three options for a visitor's centre were considered. These were:
- a new building at Tahaki Reserve west, accessed directly off Mt Eden Road and built up against the former quarry face.
- a new building adjacent to the roundabout at the intersection of Puhi Huia Road and Clive Road.
- a refurbished Langton's tea kiosk on the western side of Puhi Huia Road.
Each option has its pros and cons. A wide range of issues were considered
including:
- each location's capacity to provide for high numbers of visitors and enhance visitor experience
- the gateway and arrival qualities of each location
- the likely environmental impacts of developing each location
- whether sustainable and innovative technologies could be successfully incorporated.
Important considerations also included the ability for the visitor centre to connect to new transport modes to the summit and with
public transport and the surrounding road network.
Features of each of the other options are listed below.
The Former Langton's Tea Kiosk
The Former Langton's Tea Kiosk option anticipates a refit of the Langton's Tea Kiosk (approximately 400m2) as a visitor
centre with minimal display and interactive space.
View map and image in PDF format (918kb PDF)
Features:
- capacity of 400,000 visitors a year
- walking access to the summit on a loop track from the tea kiosk
- interpretation using portable listening devices as well as display boards at the tea kiosk
- ability for limited coach drop-off or private car parking
- can support activities such as a small café, catering, community meetings, and a minimal retail space.
Tahaki Reserve west
This option would see the development of a new visitor centre building (approximately 850m2) adjoining and stepping up the former
quarry face.
Entry would be via Mt Eden Road and visitors would move up through the building to the loop road and a connection with a
transportation mode.
The features of this option are its:
- capacity to cater for 1.2 million visitors a year
- ability to provide connections to the transport mode to the summit
- facility to lead visitors through a series of rising terraces and on a narrative journey about the maunga
- ability to support activities such as a café, catering, multi-use community/commercial space, ticketing, as well as support
spaces and toilets for adjacent community activities at the amphitheatre at Tahaki Reserve
- capacity to incorporate environmentally sustainable design, including energy and water efficiency, and the use of sustainable
materials
- visibility from Mt Eden Road, giving arriving visitors a clear sense of arrival.
The roundabout site
The roundabout site option would involve developing a visitor centre at the existing roundabout adjoining the former ranger's
house. A new building would have a floor area of 850m2 and would allow coach drop off on the Clive Road link road, visitor
circulation through the building and direct access to a transportation mode.
Features:
- capacity of 1.2 million visitors a year
- provides a sheltered space to get on/off the transport mode
- can support activities such as a café, catering multi-use community/commercial space, ticketing, as well as
- the linear form of the building allows for a large interactive interpretation zone. Visitors are led through a series of audio
visual projections and 3D simulations which set out to educate visitors about the maunga
- environmentally sustainable design, including energy and water efficiency, and the use of sustainable materials
- provides easy connections to existing public transport on Mt Eden Road, although not clearly visible from Mt Eden Road.
Transport options
A number of different transport options have been considered. These included:
- Personal Rapid Transit (PRT)
- gondola
- mono-rail
- electric bus
- light-weight electric vehicle
- walking only
In considering the preferred transport options, a number of things were taken into consideration. These included:
- the ability to transport projected visitor numbers to the summit in a safe, comfortable and efficient manner
- the likely environmental impacts of each option
- the impacts on cultural and historic values and other users of the maunga
- the sustainability of each option and likely costs.
When looking at the transport options, a number of things were taken into
consideration. These included:
- the ability to transport projected visitor numbers to the summit in a
safe, comfortable and efficient manner
- the likely environmental impacts of each option
- the impacts on cultural and historic values and other users of the
maunga
- the sustainability of each option and likely costs.
A comparison was also made between the transport options and the status quo
of coach and private car access to the summit directly.
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Updated May 2008
