Wellington Civic Trust records
Descriptive Data
Archives IdentifierDQ001Date Range1981-2022DescriptionThe Wellington Civic Trust was founded in 1981 by a group of citizens concerned with urban design and heritage preservation in Wellington. In its early years, the Trust was an advocate for retaining and improving Wellington's built environment, notably organising competitions and conferences concerning the city's waterfront.
The records document both the operation of the Trust itself, as well as the interaction it has had with the public as well as various local and regional authorities. They were transferred to City Archives over a period of time, and have been grouped by activity to help their accessibility. The following activities are documented:
- Records of meetings of the Civic Trust Board, subcommittees as well as the public Annual General Meeting. These includes agendas, minutes, monthly and annual financial statements, records of membership numbers and details of trustees.
- Establishment and operational records. These include correspondence relating to the formation of the Trust, the constitution and rules, membership records, and newsletters produced by the Trust.
- Civic awards. The Trust established biennial awards in 2002 to recognise outstanding projects that enhance the city. Awards have highlighted heritage building restoration, innovative public spaces, and urban design projects.
- Records of seminars and public forums. The Trust organised seminars and forums to encourage public participation in decisions about the city's future. Records include correspondence and meeting minutes documenting the need and aims for each seminar, details of the organisation and speakers, and any published proceedings or later outcomes from the events.
- Correspondence records. These capture discussion within the Trust as well as correspondence with bodies such as the Wellington City and Regional Council, Lambton Harbour Management and Wellington Waterfront. They include newspaper clippings, proceedings and hearings from Environment Court cases and submissions on council plans and policies. In particular, the Trust had a focus on the development of the harbour area, advocacy for heritage buildings, and the development of green spaces and sustainability.
The records have been largely grouped by the above activities. Where possible additional descriptive information has been captured for the seminar and correspondence records to provide additional terms to search on. Most of the items consist of loose correspondence, and staples and clips have been removed as many were rusty, so care needs to be taken when viewing items. MediumFileSystem of ArrangementThe records on transfer consists of A4 file boxes and ring binders each relating to a specific activity. While these were semi-grouped (for example the waterfront boxes together) they were in no specific order, and some look to have come from different source. For example, as well as boxes of minutes and correspondence, there were also records from the Secretary with their copies of minutes and some correspondence.
Collection TypeCommunity archives
The records document both the operation of the Trust itself, as well as the interaction it has had with the public as well as various local and regional authorities. They were transferred to City Archives over a period of time, and have been grouped by activity to help their accessibility. The following activities are documented:
- Records of meetings of the Civic Trust Board, subcommittees as well as the public Annual General Meeting. These includes agendas, minutes, monthly and annual financial statements, records of membership numbers and details of trustees.
- Establishment and operational records. These include correspondence relating to the formation of the Trust, the constitution and rules, membership records, and newsletters produced by the Trust.
- Civic awards. The Trust established biennial awards in 2002 to recognise outstanding projects that enhance the city. Awards have highlighted heritage building restoration, innovative public spaces, and urban design projects.
- Records of seminars and public forums. The Trust organised seminars and forums to encourage public participation in decisions about the city's future. Records include correspondence and meeting minutes documenting the need and aims for each seminar, details of the organisation and speakers, and any published proceedings or later outcomes from the events.
- Correspondence records. These capture discussion within the Trust as well as correspondence with bodies such as the Wellington City and Regional Council, Lambton Harbour Management and Wellington Waterfront. They include newspaper clippings, proceedings and hearings from Environment Court cases and submissions on council plans and policies. In particular, the Trust had a focus on the development of the harbour area, advocacy for heritage buildings, and the development of green spaces and sustainability.
The records have been largely grouped by the above activities. Where possible additional descriptive information has been captured for the seminar and correspondence records to provide additional terms to search on. Most of the items consist of loose correspondence, and staples and clips have been removed as many were rusty, so care needs to be taken when viewing items. MediumFileSystem of ArrangementThe records on transfer consists of A4 file boxes and ring binders each relating to a specific activity. While these were semi-grouped (for example the waterfront boxes together) they were in no specific order, and some look to have come from different source. For example, as well as boxes of minutes and correspondence, there were also records from the Secretary with their copies of minutes and some correspondence.
Collection TypeCommunity archives
Access Information
Restriction StatusOpen
Related Agencies
Controlling or Creating AgencyWellington Civic TrustRelationship Date Range1981-2022
Wellington Civic Trust records. Archives Online, accessed 29/04/2026, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/939151