Old hand never broke the mould

Brian Scarborough with the moulds that were used to make the Vulcan Lane paving stones in 1968. They have been in storage ever since. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Ross Scarborough was about 21 and doing military service in Waiouru when he was discharged to return to the family business in Ellerslie to make pebble pavers for Vulcan Lane.

Now 61 and still working at Scarborough Bros in Marua Rd, Mr Scarborough has fond memories of making dozens of pavers by hand in steel moulds.

The one-off moulds, about 60 in total, are still stored in an attic room in perfect order.

"It's probably nostalgia that we never got rid of the damn things. It was a good job for us in those days and carried quite a lot of prestige.

"We worked day and night on the pavers. We poured a base of concrete in the mould, we put in our reinforcing as per the drawing, we put a topping on, we hand placed pebbles, trowelled them in and that's the secret to them and why they have lasted so long."

The reddy-coloured pebbles came from the Cavalli Islands and were mixed with McCallum red chip from Kawakawa Bay. Mr Scarborough has not so fond memories picking through the pebble mix to remove any shell material.

One of the arguments put forward by the Auckland City Council for ripping up the red pebble pavers and strips of river pebbles for bluestone is that the red pavers are no longer in production.

Asked if he could make new pavers to replace the damaged and missing pavers in Vulcan Lane, Mr Scarborough said: "We could make those tomorrow, as simple as that. The pebble is still available. It would cost a fraction of what they are going to spend to replace it."

Ross's older brother, Brian, noted that since Vulcan Lane was turned into a pedestrian mall in 1968, Queen St had been upgraded three or four times.

"It says something about the quality of Vulcan Lane. The pavers have lasted 40 odd years, they will never wear the slabs out."

Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard is trying to find the "right answer" to the public fury over the $1.2 million makeover of Vulcan Lane. He has met some of the country's biggest fashion leaders, who loathe the "bland homogeneous" bluestone look and want to preserve the 1970s-era lane.

Mr Hubbard, who returned from holiday on Wednesday to the controversy, wants more time to talk to council officers who are "wedded" to bluestone.

The Herald has received dozens of emails, almost all of them opposed to the council plans for bluestone paving, new seating and tui feeders on Auckland's stylish pedestrian strip.

CBD project leader Jo Wiggins yesterday said Vulcan Lane was a priority project under the council's "CBD into the future" strategy that aimed for a consistent look but would recognise features areas, such as Vulcan Lane, could be treated slightly differently.

The lane was near the end of its asset life and needed renewing; the single drain needed upgrading and the pavers were slippery, broken and in bad repair.

She said keeping red-coloured pavers in Vulcan Lane was considered early in the consultation process but did not win favour in comparison to other ideas.

Four options were drawn up that did not include keeping red pavers.