Whoever came up with the expression “it’s a small world” never traveled from New York to Auckland via Hong Kong.  After twenty seven hours on the plane and a few more spent waiting around, I landed in Auckland on an autumn afternoon desperate for fresh air, exercise, and sunshine.  A walk to the waterfront and specifically to Wynyard Quarter seemed like the right idea.  The neighborhood, close to Auckland’s downtown, still has a strong industrial character with its many storage tanks for petrol and liquid chemicals dominating that part of the harbor.  But transformation is underway with dozens of restaurants, bars, and apartment complexes starting to sprout.

It’s entirely right that city governments should want to re-vitalize former industrial neighborhoods, especially when they fall into decline.  Waterfront property is always desirable to developers, of course, and city authorities benefit from the taxes that re-development brings.  Is it too idealistic to hope that Auckland’s leaders might choose a different path from others around the world and ensure that at least some of Wynyard Quarter be set aside for affordable homes for local people?  Is there any chance Auckland might set an example and avoid yet another of those cookie-cutter waterfront developments aimed exclusively at the very affluent and tourists looking for pretty bars and restaurants?  Having seen the homeless on Auckland’s city streets, I hope so.