The Centre of New Zealand offers breathtaking views and is a must-visit spot in Nelson.
When Auckland urban designer Alan Gray first visited Nelson Tasman with his wife, the pair quickly fell in love with the place – so much so, that three years later, they made it their home.
Normally big on researching his travel destinations, Gray hadn’t managed to get around to looking into Nelson Tasman before their trip.
So when they first arrived, they stepped into a city flourishing with unexpected activity.
“The Arts Festival was happening, the cherry blossoms were in bloom, you had this great Nelson Tasman weather, and beyond that, the great environment Nelson city sits within,” he says. “it was serendipity.”
Gray is a graduate of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and recently worked on the delivery of Auckland City’s revamped waterfront.
Having previously lived in Aspen, Colorado, Nelson city struck a familiar chord with its action, proximity to the mountains, and beautiful natural surroundings.
“As an urban designer, I felt this was a great city centre and it seemed to have a lot going on,” he says. “Nelson city has a good, smart, creative community, and that was my personal connection with the place right off the bat. We fell in love with it.”
Gray began with a job as Nelson City Council’s City Centre Development Programme Lead, and he’s now putting in place; strategic programme to make the CBD even better.
He is now putting that programme into practice in the private sector at environmental consulting firm, Boffa Miskell.
“There is interesting mix of heritage and scientific institutions such as the Cawthron Institute that is really unique,” he says. “Nelson city really impresses.”