By Ben Plummer
Auckland's new-look CBD gateway to the harbour has been opened to the public.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveiled the long-awaited Te Wānanga public space on the waterfront on Friday morning.
The $350 million project was started in late 2018, creating new infrastructure for ferries, buses, trains, cycleways and widened footpaths to make transport in Auckland more efficient.
The Auckland Council and Auckland Transport initiative in collaboration with mana whenua is aimed to beautify the Auckland waterfront.
"The upgrade of Auckland's downtown has created a waterfront that is vibrant, people friendly, attractive and accessible" Goff said.
"This is a fantastic new public space that connects the land to the sea and looks out over the beautiful Waitematā Harbour. It will be enjoyed by Aucklanders and visitors for generations to come."
By 2050, 2.4 million people are predicted to live and work in Auckland, many commuting to the city centre by bus, train, ferry, cycle, e-scooter and on foot.
Six new ferry berths named Te Ngau O Horotiu, located in Queens Wharf will receive their first passengers on Monday.
Te Wānanga will also protect the city for the next 100 years from rising sea levels and seismic events due to a strengthening in the seawall.
A press release from the Auckland Council said: "Seeming to float above the harbour, this new public space has been designed to resemble a tidal shelf, forming a living hinge between the land and sea and shaped to emulate the rocky edges and sandstone headlands of the Waitematā".
Armed police stood guard as the patched members were led out in handcuffs.