The former Americas Cup and Rugby World Cup pavilion – also known as the Tupperwaka – has been bought by Tauranga-based Nga Potiki and Tamapahore Trust.
The waka, which is still in San Francisco in containers, will take 10-15 days to ship to Tauranga, says Matire Duncan.
The Waka in Auckland at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Photo: Supplied.
'We are going to do a joint media release between us and the organisation we purchased it from,” says Matire.
Those involved are still working through details of the handover with the organisation they purchased it from. There is also a suggestion a special ceremony will organised for the arrival/handover.
How the 74m long canoe-shaped structure will be used is yet to be decided.
'We want to portray this in a positive light,” says Matire.
The attempt by Tauranga City Council in 2014 to site the waka on The Strand caused a lot of controversy, says Matire.
'So we will get back to you on our media release.”
The Waka Maori, as it was known during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, is an award-winning tension membrane over a framework of laminated pine. The structure gives 5.6m headroom and bears a taurapa or stern post that is 16.6m high.
After the World Cup it was donated to Ngati Whatua o Orakei, who had commissioned it and contributed $100,000 of the nearly $2 million cost.
It was dubbed the 'tupperwaka” by critics of its cost to the taxpayer. The gleaming white hull is an operational success, hosting 400,000 visitors to the Viaduct Harbour during 11 days of the tournament.
In San Francisco, the waka was a visually dramatic home base for New Zealand companies that travelled to the region to showcase the country's creativity and innovation.
In 2014, Tauranga City Council looked at the feasibility of bringing the waka to the city as a home for the Pukehinahina/Battle of Gate Pa exhibition, but a suggestion that the waka should be sited on The Strand was opposed by the public.
The feasibility study failed to find a suitable venue. The business case, on the other hand, showed the initiative would be a viable option for the city as a culture, technology and innovation pavilion.
10 comments
watch this space
Posted on 16-11-2015 09:01 | By whatsinaname
be interesting where they going to put it
First buy the white elephant
Posted on 16-11-2015 09:24 | By How about this view!
Then claim racism or some other pitiful excuse for others not kowtowing to their demands! But, we're spending the money of someone else again, aren't we?
No Problem
Posted on 16-11-2015 10:23 | By ROCCO
Might be painful but I can suggest where they could put it.Funding would be an interesting question because undoubtedly it will originally be Kiwi taxpayer money.
Here we go again
Posted on 16-11-2015 11:18 | By fletch
Hope they don't put it downtown and block everyones views of water etc
On the side of the new toll road
Posted on 16-11-2015 12:03 | By dave4u
Turn it upside down mount it on a few poles and voila a roof over the head for homeless people with a view of the traffic going past. atupperwhakashelter ..another first for Tauranga from the Tauranga Iwi
Practical location
Posted on 16-11-2015 12:20 | By penguin
Site it at a strategic Papamoa location in readiness to evacuate locals when a tsunami arrives. It
Business Case?
Posted on 16-11-2015 14:04 | By Murray.Guy
There will be no 'business case, background disclosures' as alegedly this is a private deal. However, you can bet your last dollar that there has been a few 'secret squirrel meetings that includes 'select' senior staff, the Mayor and cohorts, that will impact on the ratepayers. Personally, would think the 'Waka' has potential as a cultural tourism and information centre located adjacent The Port of Tauranga, say, Coronation Park. We know with TCC that they imvariably find alternative pathways to secure there preferred outcomes and hidden agendas, when the community at large fails to share in their vision, rejects there brainwaves.
Murray and secret meetings
Posted on 16-11-2015 19:21 | By Councillorwatch
Murray Guy's comment about a few secret squirrel meetings is interesting. Perhaps he could tell us about a "secret meeting" when he was on council that saw council buy a Speedway business? People who live in glasshouses . . .? Interesting that Murray seems to like the idea of siting the tupperwaka at Coronation Park. Sorry but I and probably others don't share your vision and reject your brainwave. Leave Coronation Park green.
Murray Guy
Posted on 16-11-2015 23:01 | By The Caveman
IS RIGHT The PUSH for the TCC to buy this bit of PLASTIC RUBBISH 9 months ago fell over and rightly so after RATERPAYER opposition. SUDDELENY we get to find that a local Maori mob has purchased it - BUT refuse to say how it was paid for OR what is going to happen to it. WELL - 1. The COUNCIL will be paying for it in the long run. 2. It will be DUMPED on the foreshore in Tauranga (after the RESIDENTS said NO 12 months ago, AND 3, the ratepayers will end up paying for the costs for the 20 years...............
Hey! Hang on!
Posted on 17-11-2015 18:49 | By astex
Did I not read somewhere that the council need a new building? Problem solved.
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