The last of the slips are still to be cleared at the Waipatiki Holiday Park. Photo / Warren Buckland
The last of the slips are still to be cleared at the Waipatiki Holiday Park. Photo / Warren Buckland
Waipatiki Holiday Park should re-open in mid-May, if all goes to plan.
The holiday park - leased by Shane and Fay Ashforth, but owned by Hastings District Council, Napier City Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council - has been shut since Cyclone Gabrielle hit on February 14.
Some clean-up workis still required, and wastewater and roading issues still trouble the campground, which is 30 kilometres north of Napier.
But one impediment to progress has been removed, with the Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce belatedly accepting the Ashforths’ application for a Cyclone and Flood Business Support grant.
The application was initially declined, but Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Karla Lee told Hawke’s Bay Today on Monday there would be a “review” of that situation.
On Wednesday, the Ashforths received a business support grant of $25,000, via the chamber.
“I’m a bit happier,” Shane said.
He and his wife had been at a loss to understand why - as a community-owned asset - the holiday park had been turned down for a grant and they’d largely been left to rebuild the facility on their own.
Ashforth has had to find alternative employment in Hastings, and on his commute, he drives past road signs that state access to Waipatiki is for residents only.
“The signs are still up - residents only," said Ashforth on Wednesday.
That is despite a Hastings District Council (HDC) statement to Hawke’s Bay Today on Monday insisting that “the road is open to the public now".
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has yet to reconnect Waipatiki with Wairoa and Tairāwhiti, with travellers from that area having historically made up a significant portion of the holiday park’s business.
Ashforth hoped to use the business support grant to market the holiday park to people south of Waipatiki because, without clientele, he and his wife make no money.
“We need people. The insurance has run out now. This will help big time to get things sorted,” said Ashforth.
“I finish work [at a Hastings irrigation company] on Tuesday, and we’re just going to go hard out to get things sorted.”
Fay Ashforth stands amid the silt at the Waipatiki Holiday Park. Photo / Warren Buckland
Going “hard out” will include removing the last of the slips that descended upon the holiday park, but Ashforth said he was still waiting for district council staff to repair the tsunami track that sits on the property.
Then there’s the issue of water which - like roads - is beyond his control.
“Waipatiki Campground has its own wastewater facility which is intended to be connected to the community wastewater network following the upgrade to the community wastewater network/system,” the HDC said in a statement.
“The process, as well as options to upgrade to the community wastewater network/system, are presently being worked on as part of the wastewater consent renewal process for the existing wastewater facility."
Whenever it is that the holiday park can finally open, Ashforth’s first order of business will be a decent knees-up.
“It will be as much for the locals as anything, because they’ve helped heaps. And friends, family and all sorts of people who’ve lent a hand.”
