The National War Memorial Park in Buckle Street, Wellington, will be the Government’s key project to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War and the national focus for Anzac commemorations in 2015.
The National War Memorial Park in Buckle Street, Wellington, will be used to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War during Anzac day in 2015.
Roads are not usually built to meet deadlines so special legislation was passed to allow the New Zealand Transport Agency to fast-track the building of the underpass. This will mean Memorial Park can be opened in time for Anzac Day 2015, 100 years after the battle of Gallipoli.
An alliance, or team, has been formed to complete this project.
The Memorial Park Alliance
The alliance is made up of;
- New Zealand Transport Agency
- Downer
- HEB Construction
- Tonkin and Taylor
- URS
An alliance allows different companies or organisations to work together to meet one common goal. It means work can be done faster with less money. Alliances have also been formed in Christchurch to work on rebuilding the city's earthquake damaged services and roads, and also in Auckland on the Waterview Connection project, New Zealand’s largest roading project.
The people who have joined together in the alliance include;
- designers
- engineers
- geologists
- archaeologists
- road and construction workers
Creating a War Memorial for all of New Zealand
A National War Memorial Park will be built above the tunnel where Buckle Street once was. The park will reach from the Basin Reserve to Taranaki Street.
In the centre of the park there will be the Ceremonial Plaza built in front of the current National War Memorial where Buckle Street was.
The Memorial is made up of
- the Carillon – a 74 bell tower
- the Hall of Memories – an area with six mini-chapels at the base of the Carillon used for commemoration services
- the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior – the tomb for an unidentified soldier who was one of the many New Zealand soldiers killed on the Somme in France during the First World War
A new Memorial Park will improve the setting of the National War Memorial and strengthen the heritage value of the entire area. A large grassed and paved area will be created to provide space for people to gather for services. This area can also be used to place new memorials from countries with which New Zealand has a close military relationship.
Creating the park
The drawings of Memorial Park are like a big picture. We can see what it will look like but the details are still to be filled in.
The Ceremonial Plaza will be a paved area between the National War Memorial and the boundary of Mount Cook School.
Australia, which is New Zealand’s Anzac partner, will also build a war memorial on the plaza. The memorial will be a tribute to our two countries’ shared military history and will reflect the Australian landscape with columns of red sandstone and rows of gum trees.
Special laws were passed to make sure the Buckle Street underpass would be built in time for Anzac Day 2015, 100 years after the battle of Gallipoli.
- A special team called an alliance has been formed to complete this project.
The Memorial Park Alliance
The alliance was formed to allow different organisations to work together to meet one common goal. It means work can be done faster with less money. The Memorial Park Alliance is made up of five organisations;
- New Zealand Transport Agency
- Downer
- HEB Construction
- Tonkin and Taylor
- URS
Alliances have also been formed:
- In Christchurch, to work on rebuilding the cities earthquake damaged services and roads. It is called SCIRT (Stronger Canterbury Infrastructure Rebuild Team)
- In Auckland to work on New Zealand’s largest roading project called Waterview Connection. It is called the ‘Well-Connected Alliance’.
The people who have joined together in the Memorial Park Alliance include;
- Designers
- Engineers
- Geologists
- Archaeologists
- Road and Construction Workers
Creating a War Memorial for all of New Zealand
A new Memorial Park will improve the setting of the National War Memorial and make a special –place to remember those that died in war.
- The new Memorial Park will be built on top of State Highway One where Buckle Street goes underneath through a tunnel.
- In the centre will be the Ceremonial Plaza. This will be in front of the National War Memorial where Buckle Street used to be.
- The park will reach from the Basin Reserve to Taranaki Street
- A large grassed and paved area will be created for people to gather
- Space has been left for new memorials from other countries
The Memorial Park will have;
- The Carillon – a 74 bell tower
- The Hall of Memories – an area with six mini-chapels at the base of the Carillon used for special services
- The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior – the tomb for an unidentified soldier who was one of the many New Zealand soldiers killed on the Somme in France during the First World War.
Creating the park
- The drawings of Memorial Park are like a big picture with the final details yet to be filled in.
- The Ceremonial Plaza will be a paved area between the National War Memorial and the boundary of Mount Cook School
- Australia will build a war memorial on the Ceremonial Plaza. The memorial will be a tribute to our two countries’ shared military history. It will have columns of red sandstone and rows of gum trees that remind people of Australia.
Cook Islands Maori keywords:
| Uipa'anga |
opening ceremony |
| akamaraanga |
park |
| Ra Va‘e‘au |
Anzac Day |
| anga |
plan |
| ‘Autirēria |
Australia |
| anga |
to make, construct or build |
Visit your local war memorial and find out more about who it commemorates.
Visit your local war memorial. Find out about who it commemorates.
