A new outdoor swimming pool and a Te Ao Māori showcase centre are among multiple projects being proposed for Auckland's waterfront.
Auckland Council discussed the plans at a "confidential workshop" on Wednesday. The NZ Herald reported the cost of the projects was not yet known.
Mayor Wayne Brown said in a statement the council was considering "credible options" for redevelopment and commercialisation at the Ports of Auckland (POAL).
"I want us to deliver to Auckland the most beautiful and loved publicly owned waterfront of any harbour city in the world, and this is a first step."
Among the other proposals discussed included a water-based amphitheatre and an international event and exhibition venue.
"I have strong public support for getting more public access to the harbour. By freeing up and developing these valuable waterfront spaces, we have an opportunity to create a world-class arts, culture and entertainment destination that celebrates our identity and evokes pride in Aucklanders," Brown said.
"I'm pleased with the progress made on this work so far, which is indicating that there is a pathway to return a portion of land back to public use within the next two to five years without undermining the port operation while delivering significant well-being benefits for Aucklanders.
"As far as the port operation goes, we are just following on from the work commenced by the previous Mayor and council, and I think it is worthy of consideration."
After the proposals were made public, they were blasted by the Maritime Union of New Zealand - which said they were "a threat to the stability" of Auckland and the wider economy.
"This latest proposal for pools and barbies on the waterfront is simply not serious," union national secretary Craig Harrison said.
"It is unclear what is the primary motive - is it to come up with [a] short-term band-aid for Auckland's financial issues, is it to hand over commercial real estate to developers, or is it to provide saltwater pools for well-off central city dwellers?
"The cost of the failed automation project of the previous management was estimated at a $1.2 billion hit to the economy and another failed experiment could cause even greater harm."
Brown said he was "genuinely interested" in what the Maritime Union as well as Aucklanders and councillors thought about the proposals, and was "still opened minded about the best solution".
"To help inform master planning for the Ports of Auckland and infrastructure for the wider region, [the] council has canvassed the views of port operators and investors on potential approaches to deliver on its ownership objectives for the POAL.
"This process and the outputs will remain confidential and there will be a significant public consultation process before any further progress is made," the council said.
