Now walk across Marine Parade. This two-mile street runs parallel to Hawke’s Bay and offers a plethora of waterfront sites you will not want to miss. The first is the Soundshell, built in 1935. Two years later the surrounding Colonnade was added. This created a public square in front of the bandstand. The Forecourt was a popular place for dancing and roller skating through the early 1950s. These projects were sponsored by the Thirty Thousand Club. This group of civic-minded locals was formed in 1913 with the goal of developing and promoting Napier until it reach 30,000 citizens. When the goal was achieved in 1975, the club disbanded.
