city infrastructure services
Heart of the City recognises that for a city to be successful, it needs to be easy to get around, be clean and feel safe and welcoming. We partner on a number of initiatives to make the City Centre all of this and more.
BIG little City Guides
The BIG little city guides welcome and assist visitors around the city centre. By foot, or by Segway, up to 10 guides work up to 6 days a week in highly visible green uniforms. Their role is to welcome visitors to the city centre, help them to find their way around, and direct them to the city's shopping, restaurants, attractions and entertainment. The team greet every cruise ship, and take an active role when big events are on in the city
The team also report issues on the street, such as illegal dumping or broken street furniture, disorderly behaviour, and have a direct line to both Auckland Council and the City Watch Security Team.
Running for 10 years, the programme has received positive feedback from visitors to our city. The current team leader, Werner, has been with the team for the last six years, 5 of those as Ambassador Team Leader.
Werner is the heart the BIG little city guides team and knows everything that is happening in the city. Werner is very passionate about Auckland City and incredibly dedicated to helping visitors find their way around.
All of the cities in the world should have ambassadors! (International Tourist, March 2008)
BIG little City Rides
The BIG little city rides are our bike cab fleet who ride around the CBD streets every weekend. Iconic to the CBD, the riders provide visitors with tours of the city or take them from place to place. The rides are an excellent way for visitors of the city to be transported around.
Booking a BIG little city ride - There are two simple ways to book a ride. Either hail down a cab as they circle the city or call the Heart of the City offices on (09) 379 8000 anytime during our office hours of Mon - Fri, 8.30am - 5.30pm to book a bike at a specific time.
The BIG little city rides can be also booked at an hourly rate for events or company functions. If you are interested in booking a BIG little city ride, then please contact Raewyn Pope at raewyn@hotcity.co.nz
Advertising - Heart of the City offers advertising space on the back of the bike cabs. This is a unique way to advertise your business, in front of the approx 4,000 individuals who visit the CBD on a daily basis. If you are interested in advertising on the back of our BIG little city rides fleet then please email Raewyn at raewyn@hotcity.co.nz
City Watch Security Programme
Since 2004, the City Watch Programme has been co-funded by Heart of Auckland City ($145,000 in 2010/2011) and Auckland Council. The programme was set up in response to the community's perception of safety in the CBD, particularly in relation to breaches of the public spaces bylaw and associated behaviour. This perception was affecting people's enjoyment and visitation into the CBD.
The programme sees a security team of seven guards, operating across the day and night, including till 4am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The hours of operation focuses on busy times, and to cover shortfalls in policing.
The primary focus for the programme is to enforce the public spaces bylaw - including moving on beggars, unpermitted busking and outdoor trading and reporting disorderly behaviour through a direct line to the police. The team also report illegal rubbish dumping in the street to the Auckland Council. In addition, a number of the security staff are also warranted to remove trespassers off private properties in agreement with the property owner.
The City Watch guards are able to help with moving on street traders, begging, buskers and assisting with disorderly behaviour occurring on public property. To report an incident please call the Auckland Council Call Centre on (09) 301 0101 so a job can be logged and a guard sent out. The Auckland Council Call Centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For more serious crime call the Downtown Police station on (09) 379 4500 or 111 if an emergency.
City LinkBus
Heart of the City has partnered with Auckland Transport, to sponsor the City Link Bus, a free* bus service linking Queen Street with K'road, downtown and the Wynyard Quarter. This service allows people to get around the CBD, and to the great businesses that are here.
*From January 2012, the City Link will continue to be free for HOP card users, and 50c for everyone else. See the Maxx website for more information.
