Helene Ritchie Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
As the tit-for-tat with the Wellington City Council continued on Sunday, a protestor against the demolition of Wellington's City to Sea Bridge claims the council has closed one of the city's main tourist attractions on one of the busiest weekends of the year.
The capital has been abuzz this weekend, although more sombre on Sunday, after the All Blacks were handed their worst-ever defeat by South Africa's Springboks in their Rugby Championship clash at Sky Stadium on Saturday.
Helene Ritchie, who has led the effort to save the bridge as chairperson of the Wellington Civic Trust, estimated about 50 people had crossed the bridge on Sunday, after it was initially fenced off by the Wellington City Council on Monday.
One of the fences that was moved on Sunday. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
The 33-metre reinforced concrete bridge crosses over Jervois Quay - a busy six-lane arterial road - and connects the walkway at Whairepo Lagoon to Te Ngākau Civic Square.
It is scheduled for demolition, due to seismic issues, but work is on hold until at least the end of September.
A pedestrian crossing and a new bridge connecting to the Michael Fowler Centre are planned to replace the City to Sea Bridge.
Built in 1993, it was seismically strengthened in 2011, but no longer meets the current earthquake standard. The cost to repair the bridge was estimated between $86-120 million.
A man drawing a heart with chalk near the City to Sea Bridge. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
Ritchie said people from all around the world had been able to enjoy the City to Sea bridge over the weekend.
A message written with chalk on the City to Sea Bridge. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
Wellington City Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said the fences were re-instated on Saturday and would be again on Sunday.
He said the fences were to stop the public from walking into a worksite amid safety concerns.
Ritchie said, as soon as she left, the Wellington City Council would use taxpayer money to pay a company to re-instate the fences, but MacLean said the cost was "negligible".
A message written with chalk on the City to Sea Bridge. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
A Hamilton couple said they could not understand what was wrong with the bridge.
"What's wrong with what's here?" a woman told RNZ. "There's nothing wrong with it - people are using it."
People on the City to Sea Bridge. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
Protestor Anne Quinn told RNZ that the City to Sea bridge was the "heart of the city".
Anne Quinn (right) on the City to Sea Bridge. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
"It should stay," she said. "To replace this bridge with a pedestrian crossing on the main road is crazy."
Another protestor, Bill Allen, said the bridge was "a national icon".
Bill Allen on the City to Sea Bridge. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon
"People come here to see it," he said. "We're making sure it's not going to get knocked down."
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