Research on history of Victoria park market
This Victoria Park Market was first made as a destructor. The site’s history is rooted in a public health crisis. In the late 19th century, Auckland struggled with unregulated rubbish disposal, leading to fears of the bubonic plague (which had hit Sydney in 1900). To solve this issue the Auckland City Council constructed the Auckland Municipal Destructor and Depot - (what is now the market, basically a rubbish disposal).
The destructor was completed in 1905 housing furnaces used to incinerate the city’s rubbish. The 38 meter brick chimney which still remains as an iconic landmark was designed to carry smoke and fumes away form the surrounding working class neighborhood of Freemans bay
In 1908 a generator was added to harness heat from the incinerator to produce electricity. However it couldn’t keep up with the city’s growth and was shut down by 1913. Then came the stables built in 1914 and 1918, double story stables were built to house the 94 horses that pulled the cities rubbish carts. If you go to the market you can still see the ramp used by the horses today.
By the 1970s, the incinerator was obsolete and the site was demolished. A public campaign in the early 1980s successfully fought to save the buildings, leading to their conversion into a market in 1983. This marked a turning point in Auckland’s approach to heritage conservation.
The Celebrity Walk of Fame - Fun little something
One of the most unique cultural features is the Celebrity Walk of fame established in 1984. It features the handprints and footprints of iconic New Zealanders, including:
Sir Edmund Hillary (Mountaineer) Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (Opera singer) Billy T. James (Comedian) Rachel Hunter (Model)
The Market Era (1980s to present)
In its 1980s, the market was a hub for local artisans, "hippie" stalls, and tourists. After a period of decline in the 2000’s it was closed down but was bought for 13 million and had a $20 million refurbishment in 2012, which it was then rebranded as an "urban village." It now balances high-end dining and retail with its gritty industrial aesthetic, preserving the polychromatic brickwork that makes it a Category I Historic Place.
Some fun little links to look through.
These historic buildings in Auckland ar over 100 years old and have a great story to tell from the fine brickwork to the 94 horses that once
Part of Pt Lot 1 DP 45668 (RT NA44C/153), North Auckland Land District; and part of road reserve on eastern side of Union Street between Vic