Tauroa Reserve boardwalk is finally open to public

Many gathered alongside council officials on Saturday morning to officially open the boardwalk to the public. Photo / Paul Taylor

The recently completed Tauroa Reserve boardwalk is officially open.

The boardwalk is the first stage of work to give walkers and cyclists safe and scenic off-road access to the famous Te Mata Park, a Hastings District Council spokeswoman said.

Hastings and Napier council and community leaders came together at the weekend to recognise the hard work that went into the build.

Kaumatua Jerry Hapuku was on site at the boardwalk opening and performed a blessing over the structure to officially open the walkway.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it was very exciting to open the Tauroa Reserve Boardwalk officially.

"This magnificent piece of engineering shows what can happen when community, central and local government work together.

"I'm so proud of everyone involved in making this project a reality."

Ryan Rose who worked on the boardwalk walked the pathway for the first time with his eight-year-old daughter Islah Rose. Photo / Paul Taylor

Work on the boardwalk began in February 2021 and was finally completed this month after the project experienced delays getting materials, wet weather and restrictions on doing the work while keeping the road open to motorists.

Anti-slip measures also had to be installed along the boardwalk before the HDC engineers could sign the work off as fully compliant and safe for public use.

The boardwalk - a 3-metre wide trail comprising sections of timber and concrete, with handrails throughout - is adjacent to Tauroa Reserve, where the road and corner of Tauroa Valley Rd have been a known safety risk for motorists, walkers, and cyclists.

After the Tauroa Reserve boardwalk blessing and ribbon cutting, those in attendance walked the boardwalk together. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hastings District Council co-funded the boardwalk project with help from the Government's Provincial Growth Fund.

The boardwalk can be accessed between the Chambers car park on Tauroa Rd at the base of Te Mata Park and Tokomaru Drive.