Westgate’s new town square has been officially named Te Pūmanawa Square by the Henderson-Massey Local Board.
Set to be fronted by restaurants and shops, this 3500sqm multipurpose facility will connect the new 26,000sqm mall and town square retail space to a new library and community centre planned for the western end of the square.
And even though it will allow for motor vehicles, it will prioritise pedestrians.
As the last piece in the road network which has already been constructed for the town centre, the town square is part of Auckland Council’s contribution to the Westgate Town Centre development.
The roads are funded by Auckland Council through Auckland Transport and constructed in partnership with New Zealand Retail Property.
Henderson-Massey Local Board is expecting construction to begin early in 2016 for completion in 2017.
The Māori name was agreed on at the board’s September meeting after historical research of the area and consultation with Hetaraka Tobin, kaumatua and representative of Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara.
The words Te Pūmanawa represent heartbeat of activities, recognising the town square as a regular meeting place and somewhere to perform music and enjoy entertainment, or just to sit and rest.
“The decision fell within the authority of the local board and we are both privileged and honoured to have chosen this special name with guidance from mana whenua,” says Henderson-Massey Local Board chair, Vanessa Neeson.
“The square will truly be at the heart of a development that is hugely significant for our area. It is exciting to see it take shape and grow on an almost daily basis.”
Auckland Council is also developing a new town park and series of open spaces connecting a stormwater pond network to complement the development of the town centre. This work should be completed by 2017.
The District Plan allows for the construction of approximately 1500 residential units and makes provision for a large area of privately developed commercial land on either side of Northside Drive, which will bring new employment to the area.
