Who is your audience?

The development of Auckland University’s new campus on Khyber Pass Road is going to affect many people due the significant changes that will occur in the area. I think my audience is targeted at an 18-50 years age group. This is because students as well as people who work in the area will be interested in the changes that occur. It will affect university students because of what the new campus will offer in terms of education, and also the social benefits and living arrangements with accommodation planned to be built in the future. Other people like businessmen and women are included in my audience because they may travel through the area to a job in the city or Newmarket. Traffic in Newmarket is already quite busy so this new development may cause a few problems as well as benefits for people. Businesses close by will want to know about this story because of the positive social and economic changes it will create for them. Overall, it is a news topic that interests many people because of the major impacts it will have on Newmarket and the local community.

Plans for Auckland University

Through undergoing more research I have found important information from Auckland University. On their website they have a section dedicated to the new development in Newmarket which provides essential information about their plans for the foreseeable future. On this page there is mention that the development potential and size of the site will support a further 30-50 years of growth, securing its space needs for the future. There is information stating the facilities that are being built at the site, which include refurbishment of a few existing buildings to provide for largely enhanced engineering research space and the construction of a new civil structures hall, which includes a nine metre strong wall (one of the largest in Australasia). This is a great opportunity for Newmarket both socially and commercially, as the area will have a large number of students and research staff to provide for. There are significant benefits for the local community and businesses and Newmarket will have to adapt and improve what it offers in terms of nightlife, places to eat and so on in order to serve people’s needs.

Link:

http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/the-university/newmarket-campus-development

Research

I have read a few articles online to get an idea about what is happening with the site on Khyber Pass. One article from stuff.co.nz suggested this purchase of the Lion Breweries site is the “most significant property acquisition in a generation”. It is estimated that the cost to purchase the site is between $70-$150 million yet there is no accurate figure at the moment. In the article there is mention that the university would build a mixed-use campus, “with space for purpose-built teaching and research facilities, student accommodation, business development and other facilities”. Great Northern Developments Limited is the site’s owner who is owned by Lion Limited. The director along with the Chief financial officer said in the article that “there would be considerable commercial and social benefits to the community,” if plans for the university go ahead. Other sources like Ashley Church, the chief executive of Newmarket Business Association said that he “cautiously welcomed” the idea of the university moving on to the site. “There is a huge opportunity to show real vision and utilise [the site] in a way which will be both profitable and will have major economic and social benefits.”

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/7671247/University-of-Auckland-to-buy-Lion-brewery-site

This article reveals many positive things for Khyber Pass and the area of Newmarket. I want to interview some shop owners around the area to see what their perspective is on this. I also would like to find out more about the University’s plans, however I have not come across any recent articles with new information so things are being kept very quiet on Auckland University’s end. 

Plans for change on Khyber Pass

After thinking about my street in more detail, my main focus for my story is on the new development of Auckland University. This large, 5.2 hectare section on Khyber Pass was once the old Lion Breweries site and now there are plans to build a new campus. Having such a large part of this street dedicated to the university, it would bring many changes to Newmarket and the street itself. Businesses will be affected in some way whether it brings in more money from the increase in people around the area or if it becomes less appealing due to how busy traffic will become. I visited the site last week and took some pictures of where the university is going to be built. I also took a video to show the atmosphere and reveal how busy the street already is.

Khyber Pass Road

I have been very slack with keeping my blog updated with what i am doing for this assignment so i am trying to get into a better routine. I thought more about the street idea and instead of doing “Fisher Parade”,  I have decided to change to Khyber Pass in Newmarket. This street is full of busy shops, traffic and people. I want to explore how it has developed over time and the changes it is still going through today. This relates to how a new part of Auckland University is being built on the street which used to be an old brewery many years ago. Sonja Gardien, a photographer has done an exhibition on “the old and the new” in Newmarket showing pictures of what used to be black and white to now clear images of a busy, thriving area. I am going to visit the street on Friday to take some pictures and get a feel for what goes on there. 

Link to Sonja Gardien’s website: http://www.sonjagardien.com

These collection of images are being displayed at an exhibition called “Newmarket Time Travel” at Highwic in the Billiard House, New Market on Sat 28th, Sun 29th Sept and Tues 1st Ocotober from 10.30am until 4.30pm. 

“The photographic works created for this exhibition reveal the layers of history and the effects of time on the location of Newmarket…I feel that the old image has been brought to life, encouraging the viewer to consider how the people of the past have contributed to the Newmarket of today” (Sonja Gardien, 2013).

Fisher Parade

For assignment two in Principles of Journalism we have to write a web-based news story about people, an event or an issue related to one street in Auckland.

 “Your task is to find one of these stories and to bring it to the light. It can be a story about an interesting person living in your street or a story about the buildings/architecture or about something that is happening right now and might have dire consequences in the future.”

I am thinking of doing the street where I live, Fisher Parade in Farm cove. I am choosing this because the area itself has some history to it, where it used to be all farmland. There is also a gated community on my street called ‘Manor Park’ that may be of interest to my story.  There is also a Rotary walkway that runs around the eastern edge of the water of the Tamaki Estuary and Whakaaranga Creek. This can be accessed from my street and many people love the amazing views and serenity of it. At this point I’m not sure which direction to take but will proceed with finding out a bit more to do with the people who live around me and see where that leads me.