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Cuba Mall
Descriptive Data
Other NamesCuba Street, Cubacade, Cuba Arcade
Date RangeOpened 14th October 1969DescriptionCuba Street was named after one of the early settler ships, which arrived on January 4, 1840. Not long after in 1842 the street was established and quickly became a hub of activity. It was home to a marketplace and many businesses established themselves there, including a branch of local department store, Kirkcaldie & Stains. Wellington’s tram network ran through Cuba Street, bringing many visitors from across the city. Initially running steam trams from 1878 to 1879 these were replaced with much quieter horse-drawn trams, continuing the flow of people from across Wellington to Cuba Street. Eventually the horses were also phased out in favour of electric trams, which were a constant feature of Cuba Street until 1964, when the service was discontinued. However, the closure of the tram service didn’t end Cuba Street’s popularity.
Cuba Mall began life in 1965 when the Wellington City Council closed parts of Cuba Street to remove the now unused tramlines. The public liked a street where they could walk freely without worrying about traffic and a public campaign to make this permanent began. Eventually enough pressure was put on the council to design a “mall” - a place with no vehicular traffic where shoppers could walk at will. The street was redesigned to accommodate pedestrians and embellished with gardens, canopies and fountains. A large, covered stage that was intended to be used by local street performers was built in the centre of the street. The mall, designed by the council’s architects and urban planning team, still features the “Bucket Fountain” – a colourful and playful water feature designed by planning consultants Burren and Keen.
The street became Cuba Mall and is now probably the most used “people place” in inner city Wellington. It was officially opened on the 14th of October 1969 by Sir Francis Kitts, Wellington’s Mayor at the time with a further expansion opened in 1979 by Robert Muldoon, then Prime Minister. Cuba Mall remains a destination for locals and visitors alike. Listed as a Historic Area in 1995 Cuba Mall is considered the bohemian centre of Wellington. Every year it plays host to the annual CubaDupa festival which celebrates art, food and the character of Cuba Street and it is home to a great variety of retailers and dining options. The layout may have changed over the years, with Manners Street being turned back into road for buses to pass through and the removal of the central stage, but it remains a popular gathering and retail area and the essential “Cuba vibe” remains.Geo Coordinates[1]
Date RangeOpened 14th October 1969DescriptionCuba Street was named after one of the early settler ships, which arrived on January 4, 1840. Not long after in 1842 the street was established and quickly became a hub of activity. It was home to a marketplace and many businesses established themselves there, including a branch of local department store, Kirkcaldie & Stains. Wellington’s tram network ran through Cuba Street, bringing many visitors from across the city. Initially running steam trams from 1878 to 1879 these were replaced with much quieter horse-drawn trams, continuing the flow of people from across Wellington to Cuba Street. Eventually the horses were also phased out in favour of electric trams, which were a constant feature of Cuba Street until 1964, when the service was discontinued. However, the closure of the tram service didn’t end Cuba Street’s popularity. Cuba Mall began life in 1965 when the Wellington City Council closed parts of Cuba Street to remove the now unused tramlines. The public liked a street where they could walk freely without worrying about traffic and a public campaign to make this permanent began. Eventually enough pressure was put on the council to design a “mall” - a place with no vehicular traffic where shoppers could walk at will. The street was redesigned to accommodate pedestrians and embellished with gardens, canopies and fountains. A large, covered stage that was intended to be used by local street performers was built in the centre of the street. The mall, designed by the council’s architects and urban planning team, still features the “Bucket Fountain” – a colourful and playful water feature designed by planning consultants Burren and Keen.
The street became Cuba Mall and is now probably the most used “people place” in inner city Wellington. It was officially opened on the 14th of October 1969 by Sir Francis Kitts, Wellington’s Mayor at the time with a further expansion opened in 1979 by Robert Muldoon, then Prime Minister. Cuba Mall remains a destination for locals and visitors alike. Listed as a Historic Area in 1995 Cuba Mall is considered the bohemian centre of Wellington. Every year it plays host to the annual CubaDupa festival which celebrates art, food and the character of Cuba Street and it is home to a great variety of retailers and dining options. The layout may have changed over the years, with Manners Street being turned back into road for buses to pass through and the removal of the central stage, but it remains a popular gathering and retail area and the essential “Cuba vibe” remains.
Geo Coordinates[1] Image
Relationships
External linksCuba Street ProjectCubaDupaJohn Radford - sculptural intervention of the Bucket Fountain50 Years of the Bucket FountainCuba Street on WikipediaWCC on Cuba MallA Brief History of Cuba StreetA History of Summer City [Stuff.co.nz]The 14-year fight to pedestrianise Cuba St [Stuff.co.nz]Cuba Mall listing with Heritage NZRelated EventCubaDupaSummer City
CubaDupaJohn Radford - sculptural intervention of the Bucket Fountain50 Years of the Bucket FountainCuba Street on WikipediaWCC on Cuba MallA Brief History of Cuba StreetA History of Summer City [Stuff.co.nz]The 14-year fight to pedestrianise Cuba St [Stuff.co.nz]Cuba Mall listing with Heritage NZRelated EventCubaDupaSummer Cityloading google map....
Cuba Mall. Archives Online, accessed 29/05/2023, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/178468