KEY POINTS:
We get things wrong in Auckland too often. We demolished His Majesty's Theatre and turned it into a one-level carpark. Now it's a hotel.
Our Aotea Centre, while a great facility, is not the iconic Opera House that Auckland could have had. We fight over trees and pavers. It is not clear what Britomart and Vector Stadium are really for.
If we can't get it right when it comes to these things, let's hope we can at least get it right when it comes to our national game.
Let's face facts. Eden Park is past its use-by date. It is annoying to the local community, even at its present capacity, and just as annoying to fans trying to get to a game. For those who want to drive, there are no parks. For those who want a few beers, there are few realistic public transport options and walking is hardly an option either. The train broke down before the Lions game.
Let's face some other facts. The waterfront stadium is a pipedream, with a possible price-tag of $1 billion - that is if it is actually technically feasible to build a stadium on that site.
Even if there is the political will, there will not be the money or the time to make it happen before 2011.
The logical choice for a national stadium is alongside our beautiful Domain, based on and around the site of the old Carlaw Park - a 10-minute walk from Queen St, Britomart and our major hotels, and at the hub of our motorway network from south, west and north.
The old Carlaw Park site alone would not be big enough for a national stadium big enough for the 2011 World Cup. But combined with some of the slivers of Domain land that creep into Parnell, and through the compulsory acquisition of some of the B-grade or worse commercial property in the vicinity, it offers the perfect space.
Architects could do something special with this space, which was gifted to Captain Hobson by Apihai Te Kawau in July 1840.
They could use the natural amphitheatre shape of the area - surrounded by the Domain and Parnell Rise - to make the stadium fit in naturally with the landscape. Direct connections with Queen St could be through the disused tunnel to Victoria St East, modernised with travelator.
The CBD parking and public transport networks would be accessible for Saturday-night matches.
Spectators might be attracted back to cricket if they could stroll from the office on a summer's day for an hour or two, just as they do in Wellington.
More ambitiously, based around the stadium, the Stanley St-Beach Rd area could be revitalised as a dynamic artistic, cultural and commercial area. It would reconnect the Domain and Auckland Museum to our city.
If we redeveloped public transport to provide efficient access to the stadium - which we need to for the World Cup - we would also be providing new options for office workers during the week.
Perhaps by associating modern rail, buses and plain old walking with the rugby, we would help introduce more Aucklanders to alternatives to their cars.
Right now, Carlaw Park is set to become a home for the elderly.
There are no plans to do anything interesting with the rest of the area. Carlaw Park is not the best part of Auckland to retire to, especially if the surrounding area remains in its present state. A quieter and more pleasant place for a retirement village could be the present site of Eden Park.
Prime Minister Helen Clark, Rugby World Cup Minister Trevor Mallard, and other political and sporting leaders will soon make the decision about the site of our national stadium.
With the clock ticking to 2011, they need to hurry - but they need to get it right. Although they have indicated they prefer the waterfront idea, reality will prevail. If the default option then becomes Eden Park, our country will have missed an opportunity to build the stadium that our national game, and Auckland, deserves. The chance won't arise again.
Nine Auckland City Councillors support the Domain as an option, promoted by myself and my Action Hobson colleague Christine Caughey.
Our proposal is winning support in rugby, urban design and architectural circles. We are now seeking the support of Heart of the City and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.
Most importantly, we are seeking the support of Aucklanders because it's up to all of us to ensure we don't get this decision wrong as well.
* Richard Simpson is a first-term Auckland City councillor elected in the Hobson ward on the Action Hobson ticket. He is the chairman of Auckland's Transport Committee and deputy chairman of Auckland's Economic Committee.
