The new purpose-built pavilion has been designed to appease the protests building up against the NZ Transport Agency’s plans to build the $90 million Basin Reserve flyover connecting Buckle St to the Mt Victoria tunnel. Few people view the flyover as harmful to the visual aspect of the historic Basin Reserve cricket ground.
As per the plans, the new pavilion would be a three level structure, extending from the existing players viewing box and attached to the Vance Stand. It would stretch 65 metres to the start of the embankment and will link with the proposed pedestrian plaza at the end of Kent and Cambridge Terraces.
Designed to serve as a new main entrance to the cricket ground, the pavilion will offer new player and officials’ facilities and viewing platforms. The plans also include planting of more than 70 new trees along with extension of more than a hectare of public space at War Memorial Park, which is already under construction.
The new pavilion plans has the approval of both the Basin Reserve Trust and Wellington City Council. Basin Reserve Trust board member and city councillor John Morrison said that the new pavilion will enable future-proofing of the Basin with state-of-the-art facilities and also let the ground to be used for more winter sports.
The flyover project is part of an $800 million package of road projects from Ngauranga to the airport.
