For the former kids of Whangarei
Your old home town is holding a binding public referendum to choose a future use for the old Harbour Board building at the Town Basin.
A message to my home town of Whangarei:
I dream of standing at the top of a grassy knoll in the town basin watching the boats and the children play.
This is not the end, it is the beginning…
Hundertwasser left all humanity a gift, part of that gift were plans to heal a building in Whangarei. His legacy is greater than the Whangarei District Council. Freedom of expression, connection with ourselves, each other and nature, organic, colour, diversity.
It is inevitable the Hundertwasser Arts Centre will be built in Whangarei because the people will make it happen.
I have a wheel burrow, who’s keen?
“ When we dream alone it is only a dream,but when many dream together it is the beginning of a new reality. ”
– Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Whangarei is Hundertwasser.
Yours,
– BB, JUN. 26 2014
(reproduced with permission from the Broker Brothers)
If you don’t live here – but still care about the future of Whangarei – you can help by urging your friends and whanau who are still in Whangarei to get informed and VOTE!
The referendum is by postal ballot and ends midday 5th June.
- Option A: Harbourside (a maritime-themed museum)
- Option B: Hundertwasser Wairau Maori Art Centre (the last Hundertwasser building in the world)
- Option C: Demolition
Here’s the hard sell: we want everyone to vote Option B.
It’s the only option that can deliver significant economic and cultural growth for our city; things we badly, badly need. We need to start building reasons for Whangarei kids to stay here and grow, or reasons to bring their own kids home.
This Flickr page shows some of what’s happening in Whangarei right now, as people get behind the art centre and colour their city. There is a huge Colour Our City parade organised for this Saturday. People are getting excited!
We worry that it’s not enough – there is widespread apathy and antipathy towards the Hundertwasser project. Despite the cost to ratepayers being low (it’s 80%+ privately funded) and Deloitte saying it will be hugely profitable and bring up to 150,000 new visitors to the city, many Whangas folks still think ‘meh, arts’ or ‘foreign dude with the weird name’ or ‘it’s funny looking.’
Really, you can help. Please help.
If you’ve got questions, this website is packed with information about the project. We’ve also got a hugely active Facebook page and we’re always happy to supply any information you need. Or you can email us on yeswhangarei@gmail.com.
This is the WDC brochure on the referendum options (same one that will be posted to all Whangarei residents on the 14th May).
Thank you, sincerely, for taking the time to read this.
Now, go speak to your peeps 🙂
YES! Whangarei