Newmarket weblog Travel Story

Newmarket

Posted by Lynn Clayton in Auckland & Northland Travel Stories
Monday, 27 March 2006

Most people these days think of Newmarket as the trendy shopping centre in Auckland. This is true but it is much more than this.

Newmarket is changing rapidly, in recent years large apartment buildings have risen skywards on the old railway land. Today they have commenced another 300 apartments and yes even more shops!

With these developments come new people to the area, many are non New Zealanders trying to understand us and make a new life for themselves.

I am delighted to see ethnic restaurants opening. The traditional Chinese through to Vietnamese, Thai, North African and yes English pub fare. Karaoke Bars taking over from the old massage parlours. The face of Newmarket is changing. Some say for better, some are not so sure.

The Domain loved by many Aucklanders is now edged with high-rise buildings, many apartments and a new private school however the Museum still reigns Queen of the City as this majestic building also undergoes a major refit. Disney is filming a movie as I write, and on the other side of Newmarket we see prestige car yards vying for customers. It is not uncommon to see Maseratis and or Bentleys along side the ‘boys’ hooning along Broadway.

Graffiti is all too common, the railway seems to attract these so called artists. Why can’t the city fathers persuade them to paint the ugly facades of the shops facing the railway lines? This would be more attractive than the current view. Internationally this has been successful.

There is little for teenagers to do in Newmarket other than hang around: all this development pays little attention to the need of the  younger residents.

Yes there are movie theatres, The Newmarket Park, and gym swimming complex but I have not discovered a skateboard park or a bike park. Soon there will be 300 families with children added to the equation.

I love Newmarket, the urbanity, the trendies, the cars, the cafes, the 35 shoe shops, the slightly odd characters one sees, the noise, the culture. Can we preserve the essence  of Newmarket as the development races ahead?

Who knows?

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