While the concept of promenade has been moving from the city public spaces, from the streets and parks to shopping malls and to virtual public spaces, as many case studies of the waterfront regenerations show,
“the waterfronts possess the potential to enliven the concept of promenading in urban public spaces,” says Katarína Kristiánová.
If you don’t already do so, strolling along Ponsonby Road, Jervois Road, into Curran Street along the Westhaven boardwalk and into the Wynyard Quarter is always an uplifting way of spending a sunny Saturday or Sunday.
The Spanish, among other Europeans, have been enjoying this exercise for yonks, and in Auckland, with the improving city infrastructure, like the proposed transformation of Harbour Bridge Park in Westhaven, (August issue Ponsonby News) it’s becoming a much more common pastime here.
While there are many ways of spending a sunny afternoon or early evening (spring is just around the corner) in this city, it’s hard to beat a saunter through the enchanting inner city streets of Ponsonby, Herne Bay, St Mary’s Bay and our harbour surrounds.
But good as a walk, stroll, or ride is, perhaps we aren’t quite maximising the pleasure each can bring us. Can we take a leaf out of the Spanish book and learn from how they ‘stretch their legs’ in Seville, Madrid, or Barcelona?
When the Spanish amble along, not only do they consider what they wear and don’t rush about as if there’s no tomorrow, they also seem to walk on the correct side of the pavement with ease. Moreover, they ‘take the air’ within their own space, and they do it all in style. In other words, they promenade.
Of course, the ‘correct side’ of the pavement in Spain is not the correct side of the pavement in this land. While we, as in most former British colonies, are still a ‘keep left’ country, we are among roughly only 30% of the global population. In comparison, twice as many of the world’s population - over 160 countries – drive/walk/cycle on the right.
My mother, bless her bright coloured walking socks, once told me that in Wellington, way back in the WW2 years - and I assume because of the American soldiers stationed there - a painted white line clearly divided the left and the right on the ‘crowded’ city centre sidewalks. While this may have meant romantic chance encounters were less likely - with little chance of banging into someone - there was much less vigilance needed when moving through the city streets!
But, while I’m not advocating painted white lines as then,
I understand our city population is much more diverse now, and irritating as it may be when we have to dodge folk on ‘the wrong side’ of the pavement, we should remind ourselves that not everyone comes from England these days and we need to ‘share with care’.
So, when the sun comes out, ‘put on your best dress baby’, leave time at home, stop somewhere for an energising snack or a refreshing drink along the way and enjoy your space as you promenade away. And if you bump into someone you know, let’s hope it’s not literally! (William Greig)
prom·en·ade
promenading (present participle)
to take a leisurely public walk, ride, or drive so as to meet or be seen by others: "they promenaded along the waterfront"
synonyms: walk · stroll · saunter · wander · amble · stretch one's legs · take a walk/stroll · go for a walk/stroll · take the air · perambulate
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