Dannevirke's Community Walkway completion on hold

Looking down Cole St where the walkway will eventually go.

The very popular Dannevirke Community Walkway encompassing Smith St and Adelaide Rd is yet to reach its conclusion down Cole St even though things were ready to go just before lockdown.

In fact they were ready to go before that but the drought and Dannevirke's extreme water shortage had organisers of the project stymied as the main water pipe runs down Cole St and any damage to the old pipe would have been disastrous according to the Tararua District Council.

Relatively new is the signage acknowledging organisers Rotary, Lions and the generous sponsors.

With rain, that issue was resolved but then the lockdown occurred and since then two further issues have put the walkway's completion on hold.

The first was the laying of fibre cable along Cole St by Chorus in its process of bringing high-speed broadband to Dannevirke.

The second was the opportunity to completely replace the old water pipe with funding as a shovel-ready project. This was applied for by the TDC in May but missed the first round of funding and awaits the second round which "is imminent" according to walkway chairman Chris Southgate.

He said it was totally unwise to persevere with the walkway if either of the projects were likely to dig it up again and so it was a waiting game.

Meanwhile there are still lots of walkers on the trail with plenty of options to get into town along Cadman St, Victoria Ave, Salisbury St and Cole St as well as Taradale Rd.