Moves to improve two major town assets

April 17th, 2013
[by David Armstrong]

Community organisations are planning to develop two of Motueka's prime but sadly underused spaces - the port and the riverbank - for recreational use.

Keep Motueka Beautiful has asked Tasman District Council to work with it on a concept plan to improve the ugly eastern and southern quay areas between the Talley's fishing wharf and the Beach Reserve. (See the approximate map below left.)

This could include walking paths, sitting areas, tidy spaces and coastal plantings. At present the southern area is a muddy or dusty vehicle turning area and temporary dump and the eastern quay is overgrown with grass and scrub.

KMB committee members Paul and Isobel Mosely, who live nearby, are doing the groundwork of discussions with council and establishing the ownership of the various land parcels involved.

At its monthly meeting on Monday, KMB's committee agreed to formally engage council staff in developing a concept for the area and advance the project.

KMB chairman David Ogilvie said that there were two areas of Motueka which in other similar towns would be developed as features and tourist attractions and assets - the port and the riverbank - but neither currently had any useful purpose and were in fact quite unattractive.

Earlier this month the Motueka Community Board agreed to investigate the possibility of creating a riverside reserve on the north-western sector of the bank at the Riwaka end of the Motueka River bridge and behind the stopbank, in the area roughly shown in the map below, right. This reserve would have similar facilities as the reserve on the eastern Motueka side of the Appleby bridge.

In a related project, the community board is proposing that council includes in its 2013-14 annual plan the creation of a proper walkway and cycle path along the waterfront between the saltwater baths and Old Wharf Road. Together with a revitalised port quay area, this would make Port Motueka a much more attractive place to visit.

Comment by Chris Salt:
[Posted 28 April 2013]

The other area that desparately needs work is the old historic wharf. The council has now taken to putting an ugly fence across the end of it in an effort to keep people away from where people fish.

I've mentioned it to David Ogilvie a number of times. Apparently there has been a sum put aside for the restoration work but it stalled over issues around getting the right rock to cut for the stone. I would be happy to get involved on this aspect if necessary.

I'm amazed that such an historic site has been left to slowly fall apart for so long.

Comment by Malcolm Garrett:
[Posted 26 May 2013]

Not too late to make a comment, I trust, on the redevelopment of the Port Area in particular. It is indeed a very neglected area, and one which could be made so useful. Once it was tidied up, what about a licence to operate a coffee etc caravan on the spot or some such facility. The fishing pier is a useful start but much more is needed. It could be such a lovely area to visit, for locals and visitors alike. The linking of the walk/cycleway along the foreshore would be another good step.

Comment by David Ogilvie:
[Posted 3 June 2013]

I noted Chris Salt's comment above. It may be helpful to state that $18,635 was budgeted in 2011-12 from the Motueka Reserves Financial Contributions (previously known as the Development Levies - DILs). There is also a budget item listed as "Coastcare" which may be applied to the project (although it is mainly for Coastal plantings).

The Historic Wharf budget has never been spent because of the high cost (as Chris mentioned). There is, currently, a request to Council to repair/reconstruct the Wharf, which Council will hopefully support. The decisions on the 2013-14 Annual Plan are to be made this month (by June 30th) and funding could be available. The edging has deteriorated lately which led to the fencing, and this should underline the urgency for repairs.

Chris's comments are accurate and appropriate, and others have commented similarly. I hope Council staff read these and recognise the essential nature of the repair - not a good look for the Council or for the Community Board .

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