Future Plans for Myers Park

Myers Park, an often under-appreciated asset in the central city, with its collection of near 100-year-old trees including an avenue of phoenix palms, was the focus of attention last weekend at an Auckland Council open day.  The open day, centred in the heritage Myers Park Kindergarten building, featured the launch of a draft development plan compiled by council which proposes a major revamp of the park and its amenities.

Members of the public were invited to view details of the plan and representatives from both council and the Waitemata Local Board were on hand to answer questions.  Free heritage walks taking in the park’s artworks, historic buildings and entranceways were also scheduled.

Submissions on the plan are invited before 24 June and more information on the proposal can be found here.     Funds of $500,000 have been set aside by the Waitemata Local Board for implementation of the proposed works while a CBD advisory board to council has recommended a further $3million be set aside for the project as part of its City Transformation – Public Realm Upgrade Programme.

     

   

Craft Tattooing

The establishment of The Tattooed Heart at 202 K’ Road in 2009 by owner Adam Craft continues an historical link the tattoo artist has with the precinct.  Adam’s great-great-grandfather Charles Blomfield, a renowned New Zealand landscape artist, once worked from rooms on the corner of K’ Road and Queen St.

With Blomfield’s considerable artistic talent having been passed down through the generations, producing further painters, sculptors and commercial artists, the artistic gene is now evident in the work produced by Adam at his K’ Road studio.  Having tattooed professionally since 1997, Adam specializes in producing traditional Japanese art work based on the country’s 6,000 year-old art form depicting stories from Buddhist mythology.

He is joined in his efforts at the company’s two level premises by four other tattooists whose combined focus is on producing custom work for clients interpreted in a classic style.  Learning the classic styles before moving on to adapt them to your own is essential, Adam believes.  Shuhari – loosely translated from the Japanese as ‘walk before you run’ – is his motto.  The Tattooed Heart also has a Ta Moko specialist on staff apprenticed under internationally renowned Maori tattooist Gordon Hatfield.  http://www.thetattooedheart.co.nz/