was proposed that cargo ships moor out in the Waitematā Harbour channel and be unloaded into "lighters", small barges that would then ferry the goods to shore via the specially built wharves in the new "Viaduct Lighter Basin". The shipping companies refused to co-operate and forced the Harbour Board to engage in dredging and the construction of new wharves. This left the partially completed lighter basin without a real purpose, so it was used to berth the various fishing boats and thus tidy up the appearance of the Auckland waterfront further east. Next to the Lighter Basin a fish market and various warehouses were constructed, including Turners & Growers Ltd, the city's main produce wholesalers. The far side of the area was connected by a mechanical bridge that was able to be raised to allow passage into the basin to the fishing vessels which used it. Timber mills had occupied the edges of Freeman's Bay prior to the construction of the Lighter Basin and Victoria Park; these continued to be a feature of the area for most of the 20th century along with other industries such as foundries, many of which were associated with ship building in one way or another. For most of the 20th century, the harbour acted as the centre for much of the fishing industry in Auckland. New quarter In 1995, Russell Coutts and Team New Zealand won the America's Cup in San Diego. This led to Auckland hosting the 2000 America's Cup, and the viaduct was redeveloped to accommodate the America's Cup teams. After the competition, the area became a mixed-use zone of apartments and restaurants. A 2003 proposal to rename the Viaduct Harbour to 'Blake Harbour' (for Sir Peter Blake, a famous New Zealand yachtsman) was not successful. In 2011, the area of the Auckland waterfront to the west of the Viaduct Harbour, historically known as the Western Reclamation or Tank Farm, was redeveloped into Wynyard Quarter. Gallery See also Americas Cup Freemans Bay Princes Wharf References External links The Viaduct (from theviaduct.co.nz, a local business association, includes photos of pre-redevelopment times) The Viaduct (from theviaduct.com, another local business association) Tourist reviews and images (from virtualtourist.com) Photographs of Viaduct Basin held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections. Suburbs of Auckland Tourist attractions in Auckland Buildings and structures in Auckland Auckland CBD Auckland waterfront Populated places around the Waitematā Harbour