Kauri heart beats in once-bleak square

By BERNARD ORSMAN

A grove of 18 kauri trees, in three rows of six, is breathing new life into the once bleak and comfortless square at the foot of Queen St.

The refurbished Queen Elizabeth Square is an integral part of the Britomart transport centre, where the first trains return to the central city today after 73 years.

An underground concourse taking commuters to the rail station will be open on QEII Square but the rest of the square will stay fenced off for three more weeks. When it does reopen, it will be transformed from the previous concrete wasteland.

Ferry commuters, in particular, will be pleased with a wide urban canopy running the length of the square, to be lit at night with coloured light poles.

Going up this week is a 2.6m-high fire boulder continuing a volcanic theme envisaged by American-born architect Mario Madayag.

Buses return to Britomart on August 3.