Livable streets advocate becomes Wellington mayor

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown rides a bicycle.

Bike commuter, livable streets advocate and Green Party member Celia Wade-Brown won the race for mayor of New Zealand’s capital and third largest city in an instant runoff election in which she received 176 more votes than the incumbent mayor, Kerry Prendergast. Here she is showing off her inner cycle chic at the Wellington City Council building.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 13: Wellington's new Mayor Celia Wade-Brown poses with her bike and a hidden pair of cycling shorts outside the Wellington City Council on October 13, 2010 in Wellington, New Zealand. Celia Wade-Brown was elected Mayor of Wellington for a three year term on October 9, 2010 and will be sworn in on October 27. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Wade-Brown hopped on her bike to attend press conferences when her victory was announced, and biked home afterwards.

As a city councilor, Ms Wade-Brown was known for for getting around by bike and bus and rarely claimed travel expenses. As mayor, the city will provide an official car, but Wade-Brown says she hasn’t thought about it when asked what kind of car she would like. She has already made plans to keep a folding bike at the office after she’s sworn in as Mayor on October 27.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 13: Wellington's new Mayor Celia Wade-Brown wheels her bike into Civic Square outside Wellington City Council on October 13, 2010 in Wellington, New Zealand. Celia Wade-Brown was elected Mayor of Wellington for a three year term on October 9, 2010 and will be sworn in on October 27. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Celia Wade-Brown buys her clothes from the Salvation Army thrift store and rides a Scott hybrid bike “with enough gears for going up-hill, Kevlar tyres and bright lights.”

In 2002, Ms Ward-Brown founded Living Streets Aotearoa, the New Zealand organisation for people on foot, promoting walking-friendly communities.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 13: Wellington's new Mayor Celia Wade-Brown poses for a photo with her bike in Civic Square outside Wellington City Council on October 13, 2010 in Wellington, New Zealand. Celia Wade-Brown was elected Mayor of Wellington for a three year term on October 9, 2010 and will be sworn in on October 27. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

2 Comments

  1. Those are the publicity photos that I have rights to publish, but she does indeed bike to get around (from what I’ve read elsewhere), and that *is* her bike.

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