Last section of foreshore walkway the next target

July 19th, 2012
[by David Armstrong]

A properly formed walkway from the Saltwater Baths to Old Wharf Road along the foreshore and parallel to Trewavas Street is being proposed by Keep Motueka Beautiful as the last big project for the group's outstanding project manager Bob Cooke.

The track, which at present has a rather rough and variable surface and route, would essentially complete Motueka's remarkable network of walking and cycling paths and be a fine tribute to the years of visionary work Bob has put into the town, especially with the walkway surrounding the northern branch of the Moutere inlet.

This week the award-winning beautification group voted to ask council for advice on costs and procedures, as well as funds available, to formalise the path as a 2.5m-wide gravelled path, which would then be a suitable option for inclusion in the Tasman Great Taste cycle trail. The path length will be approximately 1000 metres.

KMB hopes that the project could be completed within a two-year maximum timeframe, and believes that costs will fit easily within council walkway budgets if KMB members supply all the labour and equipment to do the work.

In any case, a path of this kind will soon become a pressing need as the Great Taste trail reaches Motueka. At present the cyclists will approach Motueka at the southern roundabout, but from then through to Old Wharf Road (bypassing State Highway 60) there is at present no suitable off-road track except the part parallel to Wharf Road.

The walkway around the western side of the Inlet, coming out at the Adopt-a-Plot reserve, is far too narrow and dangerous for groups of inexperienced cyclists, so either that would have to be significantly widened or the foreshore path formally constructed.

Other work that will be needed to handle the Great Taste tourists is also being planned - the raising and widening of the section north of the golf course leading around to the Raumanuka Reserve (the Kumaras), following significant storm damage last month. (See our recent story on this.)

Council has now given KMB the go-ahead to raise the height by 150mm and broaden the path to at least 2 metres wide for the roughly 400m section between the golf course and the boardwalk. Part of the estimated $9000 cost of this is expected to be shared in some manner between KMB, the Cycle Trail Trust and perhaps Tasman District Council. This is expected to be sorted out at a meeting tomorrow. KMB volunteers will provide the labour.

And a final piece of news about Keep Motueka Beautiful's walkway network came this week when Council said that resource consent for the boardwalk section that will complete the inlet loop (see our earlier story) is expected to be issued by the end of the week.

With over $22,000 in donations for materials so far, this project should now be able to progress.

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