Council to investigate wharf access following public outcry over locked gates

Kopu Marine Servicing and Business Precinct was opened by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters in late June. The main wharf is closed to the public.

A new $15 million commercial wharf and floating pontoon in Thames could be opened to the public after an outcry from residents over why the gates to it remain locked.

Thames-Coromandel District Council has agreed to undertake a feasibility study on providing pedestrian access to the Kopu Marine Servicing and Business Precinct.

The gates have been shut and locked since its official opening in June.

Last month the council said the facility was designed, consented and built for commercial purposes, “not recreational”, and had been fenced off for public safety.

District councillor Peter Revell raised the matter at a council meeting on Tuesday when he said local residents had been telling him they wanted pedestrian access to the wharf.

Revell said he understood it was fenced off for health and safety reasons.

He asked if it would be feasible or possible for pedestrians to have access to the wharf when commercial activity was not taking place.

Council chief executive Aileen Lawrie said the answer was yes, but the implications were cost and management.

“It needs to be managed in a way that is consistent with health and safety; we are not prepared to give you a response today.

“We haven’t heard how it might be operationalised and what it might cost; I would suggest a report back with a description of what it might look like.”

District councillor Martin Rodley said there was some feeling about user pays charges at the facility and agreed that was reasonable for regular users of the neighbouring car park and boat ramp.

Rodley said he would be reluctant to have pedestrians on the wharf if vehicles were also using the area.

“I know there have been long standing issues in Whitianga with people jumping off and fishing from where boats are pulling up.”

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Resources Minister Shane Jones at the official opening of the Kopu Business and Marine Precinct in Thames.

Mayor Len Salt said Revell had raised a point that was being heard in the media and what he was hearing on the street.

The question of accessibility raised the issue Lawrie had highlighted, he said.

“We probably need a report back of the logistics of that; how do you safely manage access to it, and let people use it and enjoy it, but keep people safe when it is being used for commercial activity.”

Lawrie said the wharf had been government funded with a direction for commercial activity.

“While it [the wharf] looks empty, it will get busy.

“We can report back on what it would take if there was going to be some level of public use.”

Councillor Deli Connell said she supported council staff in terms of liability.

“If we make it a grey area, and if someone is squashed between the wharf, we are in the poo.”

New ramp fees in Thames have irritated at least one boatie.

Deputy mayor Terry Walker said he supported Connell and Lawrie.

“It does make a difference when you have a commercial area.”

Councillor John Grant said there might be a lot of unhappy people in Whitianga if the wharf there was fenced off.

“My observations of Whitianga are that there are many people who get a lot of enjoyment walking out on to the wharf, not swimming, not fishing, but just going out and having a look.

“If we put a fence up and stopped people doing that, then there would be a lot of very unhappy people so I would support looking at a report for this.”

Salt said there might be a time when Thames had a ferry service, which would be able to use the Kopu Marine Servicing and Business Precinct.

“Isn’t that part of what the vision was? ... but if you’ve got a ferry, you’ve got people accessing the same way you do in Whitianga.

“So, giving ourselves the flexibility to be able to manage pedestrian traffic might be a smart move.”

Councillors accepted a motion to undertake a feasibility study on providing pedestrian access to the facility.

The wharf was officially opened on June 21 with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Resources Minister Shane Jones on hand at the ceremony.

The project was 10 years in the making after a survey of Kopu business operators in 2013 identified infrastructure and service needs for the business park upgrade and gateway concept.

The 80m-long structure was designed to enable in-water marine servicing and vessel loading.

The new facility included an unsealed haul-out area, an upgraded commercial slipway, a public boat ramp and a trailer parking area.

The project value was $15.8m, made up of $8.2m Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit funding.

Another $4.05m came from the Three Waters Reform Better Off funding from the Department of Internal Affairs.

A further $565,000 was granted from the Waikato Regional Council’s Regional Fund while the Thames Community Board contributed $1.4m.

Thames-Coromandel District Council contributed $530,000. Thames-Coromandel District Community Board ratepayers contributed $565,000.

Another $270,000 came via the Provincial Growth Fund.