One of the defining locators of Basement Theatre has always been “We’re at the bottom of the car park!”. Later this month, we won’t be able to say that for a while. From Thursday 17 October, Lower Greys Ave Car Park temporarily won’t be a car park.
What’s happening to it? Watercare and Fulton Hogan are going to be using the car park as their base for their staff and storage while they do some much-needed remediation of the wastewater network running under Queen Street. It’s a pretty massive project that you can read more about here.
So, how long will the car park be unavailable? Brace yourself…. until late 2026.
The good news is Basement Theatre will remain open and running like usual. The construction won’t be happening in the evenings or weekends so our regular scheduling of shows will continue uninterrupted Tuesday to Saturday. We’re not losing our beloved slab either, so you can still have drinkies and hangs in the outside area.
Getting to Basement Theatre won’t change that much. It’s actually going to be a bit safer being a pedestrian heading down the hill. Fulton Hogan is installing a pedestrian path between the compound fence line and the driveway that runs alongside Q Theatre. This path will lead you right to Basement Theatre. If you continue a bit further on the path, you will reach the Waimahara artwork under the bridge. This also means that if you’re up on Karangahape Road getting a bite to eat before the show, you’ll still be able to get to Basement Theatre through Myers Park.
If you drive, we know what you’re thinking. It’s the car park we all rely on when it’s 6:29pm and you’re racing to a 6:30pm show. Or it’s Sunday pack in and it’s pissing down in classic Auckland style and you just need to drop a few things off. Not to worry! Car access will remain open to Basement Theatre for drop-offs, pack-ins and accessible car park spots. Passenger Princesses can still be dropped off by an Uber or friend right outside the theatre. For artists, the works won’t interrupt Sunday pack-ins and you can unload your gear like usual on the slab.
For accessible parking, the three accessible parks that were at the top of the car park are being moved to the southeast section of the car park. Drive down the hill towards Basement Theatre, pass Basement and the Sunday School Union Building and the parks are situated on the left between the Sunday School Union Building and the Waimahara sculpture.
For alternative parking lots, there are a few to choose from that vary in cost and proximity to Basement Theatre. We did the research so you don’t have to:
Civic Car Park - 1-minute walk
Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm
1 hour $5
2 hours $10
3 hours $15
4 hours $20
5 hours $24
5+ hours maximum fee per day $24
Evening Monday to Friday: 6pm until close, $12 flat fee applies
Weekend and public holidays $2 per hour to a maximum of $12 until close
Park Grand Millennium - 4 minute walk
Pay by Plate online when you exit - parkgrandmillennium.co.nz
Use promo code EYEGATE for $3 hourly rate (max $13 per 12 hours)
Greys Avenue on-street parking - 2-minute walk
Weekdays, 8am to 6pm Under 2 hours $4 per hour. Over 2 hours $7 per additional hour
Weekends and public holidays, 8am to 6pm. Under 2 hours $2.50 per hour, Over two hours $4 per additional hour
After 6pm - FREE
Wilson Parking 89 Greys Ave - 2-minute walk
Monday-Friday 8am-4pm - $5 per half hour, $35 for 12 hours
Monday-Friday 4pm-8am - $5 per half hour, max $16
Weekend - $5 per half hour, $16 for 12 hours
Or perhaps this is the motivation you needed to ditch the car and start bussing or biking?
There are bus stops within a 5-minute walk of Basement Theatre that have buses coming from Te Atatu Peninsula, Westgate, Point Chevalier, Western Springs, Grey Lynn, New Lynn, Avondale, Westmere, Freeman’s Bay, Green Bay, Blockhouse Bay, Titirangi, Massey, Te Atatu, Otara, Papatoetoe, Mangere, Onehunga, Epsom, Newmarket, Grafton
There are a few bike stands around the area to park up your bike:
Four stands outside the entrance of the Civic car park (Greys Ave) - 1-minute walk
Two stands outside Q Theatre on Queen Street - 4-minute walk
So from 17 October, if you’ve invited someone to Basement Theatre who hasn’t been before, you can tell them “It’s the theatre at the bottom of Grey’s Ave on the right - you’ll see the signs!”.
