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It is 10 years since Gary Brown put down the first star plaque on Orewa Boulevard commemorating Kiwi entertainers and, for the past six years, he has been trying to get some of them moved.
Initially, this was in response to opposition from the landowner where some of the stars are located, but currently, the chief reason is because some of the stars now sit under the chairs and tables of cafés and restaurants, and the granite surfaces are being damaged.
Moving eight of the star plaques out from under those chairs and tables will place all 12 in a straight line down the pavement. The goal is to add further stars to that line in due course.
Mr Brown, who is now the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board chair, raised around $5500 last year with a fundraising concert so he could uplift and move the eight stars.
He says it is frustrating the amount of time the process of shifting the stars is taking.
Since the fundraising concert, he says he has obtained verbal permission from the landowner, Jonathan Rigg, and support from the businesses alongside the planned new location for the stars.
He has also spoken with Auckland Transport (AT), which is responsible for the pavement.
Mr Brown says Covid-19 has put AT behind in its work programme, but he is optimistic that the stars can be moved later this month.
The work will be done by a private contractor and any costs of uplifting and relocating the stars, and reinstating the pavement (above that raised from the NZ Walk of Fame concert) is at Mr Brown’s expense.
He says the process will have to be done carefully so that there is as little disruption for passers-by and businesses as possible.
