Some of the highlights in recent memory for Wellingtonians were the film premières of Peter Jackson’s films, namely The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King and King Kong. The city, closed to traffic, was manageable, and I venture to say that most Wellingtonians were not too upset at the inconvenience.
   In cities across Europe, it is not uncommon to have carless days, but not one forced on people due to a fuel crisis. I remember one Sunday in the late summer where I drove from Amsterdam to Bruxelles as one city began its carless day and the other ended one. These are annual, where on one summer Sunday a year people can explore the city using public transport or bicycles or go on foot. People enjoyed a day exploring their cities free from exhaust. Oh, and it’s good for the environment.
   Do other Wellingtonians see this as a good idea?

carless day · cars · Environment · Infrastructure · public transport · summer · Sunday · Wellington · Whanganui-a-Tara

I have lived in Wellington for more of my years than any other place. I first arrived in 1976, and have been proud to call it my home. I did virtually all my schooling here, from primary to uni.
   When I started my business in 1987, I have watched companies here go through good and bad times. But in business you can only do so much. More recently, I became interested in seeing what we could do to make and sustain positive change for our city.
   Wellington is already a great city. We have a great cultural core, and a population that cares as much about the meaning in their lives as the quality. But there are a few problems, such as our population growth lagging behind Auckland and Christchurch. And what can we do to encourage and grow business here, without losing our essence?
   Can we grow while being sustainable? What safety issues are there for families living here, and can we make it more accommodating for them? How about our roading and traffic? What about our sporting and recreational venues?
   I set up this blog to find ways we can all explore that. I firmly believe if others around us benefit, we each will, too. I want to hear from you, either through my personal site’s feedback form, or here in the comments, on topics we need to address. We’ve kicked off with a few, and we’ll announce this site with a bit more hoop-la toward the end of 2009.

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