2023 - Ōpōtiki harbour wharf masterplan – further engagement
The feedback period has now closed.
Council needs to update the Harbour Wharf Masterplan and we wanted your thoughts.
You may remember that we engaged with the community back in 2022 about the community vision for the public spaces around Pakihikura, the wharf, Snell Road and links into town. Harbour-Wharf Masterplan - Ōpōtiki District Council. We even had some incredible tamariki come into council to present their views to councillors.
That vision in the original Harbour Wharf Masterplan included some commercial use of the existing wharf and mussel boats unloading at OMAI, the privately-owned Marina on the western side of Pakihikura. However, since the marina development is facing delays and the new harbour entrance is on-track to have a channel between the two seawalls by the end of August this year (2023), council asked staff to look into interim options that will allow mussel boats to use the town wharf for loading, unloading and wharfage, maintenance and other industrial use until the commercial marina is available.
Commercial use of the wharf (if it can be finalised) will necessarily change the public spaces and amenity in the area and council wants to know what you think is the best way to do that. Council will look into the changes needed to upgrade the current wharf and likely costing and funding options. However, we want users of the space to provide feedback on how these different uses of the wharf area could work together during this interim period.
Under any of the scenarios, we plan to proceed with the Snell’s Road boat ramp and car park as set out in the original Masterplan.
Please NOTE – all options presented here (or variations on the different options) are subject to funding and feasibility around costs to upgrade the wharf to meet commercial requirements and funding from external parties.
Feedback
During the feedback period we accepted the communities thoughts through online, email, hard-copy, and personal submissions. We also ran two drop in sessions at Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi on 30 June and 7 July 2023.
Feedback closed 10 July 2023.
Visit our Harbour/Wharf masterplan project page for further information.
CONCEPT ONE – As in the Masterplan plus accommodation of the mussel boats:
- Mussel boats are accommodated and have exclusive use of the wharf along with a designated parking area for staff associated with the operations.
- Provision is made for the Coastguard building with a new ramp.
- Motu Trail traverses the car park.
- Potential for public toilets to be provided as part of the redeveloped Coastguard building.
- The existing boat ramp is used only for non-powered craft on the basis that the new boat ramp on Snell Road will accommodate powered craft.
CONCEPT TWO – Mussel boats accommodated at the wharf plus existing boat ramp is available to all users. Play equipment is relocated.
- Mussel boats are accommodated and have exclusive use of the wharf along with a designated parking area for staff associated with the operations.
- Provision is made for the Coastguard building with a new ramp.
- Potential for public toilets to be provided as part of the redeveloped Coastguard building.
- The existing boat ramp is shared by all users, including both powered craft and non-power craft.
- Children’s playing area which includes swings and slides are moved to the north to provide for additional separation from the increased marine traffic.
- Motu Trail traverses the car park for the short term (purple). In the long term, the Motu Trail is relocated to the top of the stop banks (green).
CONCEPT THREE – Mussel boats accommodated at wharf plus new boat ramp and parking area
- Mussel boats are accommodated and have exclusive use of the wharf along with a designated parking area for staff associated with the operations.
- Provision is made for the Coastguard building with a new ramp.
- Potential for public toilets to be provided as part of the redeveloped Coastguard building.
- The existing boat ramp is used for non-powered craft and the proposed additional boat ramp is used for powered craft. This would be in addition to the new boat ramp on Snell Road.
- This option includes an additional car parking and trailer parking area, with the potential for additional overflow parking to the south and at the skate park car park.
- Motu Trail traverses the car park for the short term (purple). In the long term, the Motu Trail is relocated to the top of the stop banks (green)
