Aro Valley
| Suburb: | Aro Valley |
| City: | Wellington |
| Island: | North Island |
| Surrounded by: - to the north |
The Aro Valley forms a small inner-city suburb of Wellington in New Zealand.
Geography
The Aro Valley runs between the hills of Brooklyn to the south and of Kelburn to the north. By some reckonings it includes the side-valley of Mitchelltown.
The Valley comprises the bed of the Waimapihi Stream (now built over). Aro Street runs through the whole valley; major side-streets include Devon Street, Epuni Street, Adams Terrace and Mitchelltown's Holloway Road.
History
First developed by settler Wellingtonians as a working-class residential suburb, the Aro Valley featured small, narrow sections with closely-built wooden or corrugated-iron houses. It gained a reputation for political radicalism and for shady extra-legal dealings.
Gentrification affected the Aro Valley from the 1970s, boosted by urban renewal planning after the rejection of a proposal to turn the valley into a main arterial route: it became a desirable suburb, seen as close to the centre of Wellington and boasting notable community spirit. It is also close to Victoria University and a large number of residents are students. The Aro Valley, despite the relentless 'yuppification' of its houses, and the proliferation of BMWs and Mercedes, still maintains a deserved reputation as a defiantly eccentric suburb with a thriving café culture. It no longer votes militantly for Labour: it votes vehemently Green.
External links
Categories: New Zealand geography stubs | Wellington urban districts