Happiness is an open wharf for Tolaga Bay holidayers

Warring sides in the battle over the 11-month closure of the East Coast's famous Tolaga Bay wharf reached a compromise of sorts yesterday.

On Wednesday, the Herald published a story featuring Tolaga Bay Holiday Park owner Mike Brooker, who said a security fence stopping people getting on the wharf while repair work was done would likely be torn down if summer holidaymakers were denied access.

Well, his prediction came true when someone - no one knows who (and if they do they're keeping mum) - cut bolts on the fence, allowing a gate to be moved to one side for people to slip through.

Since then Mr Brooker estimated 1000 people a day had flocked on to the wharf, which when shut, he said, was "like going to Paris and being told the Eiffel Tower is closed".

But it did not take long for the powers that be (Gisborne District Council) to get wind of the situation.

On Thursday the manager of engineering and works, Bill Turner, was told of the damaged fence, and ordered an engineer to Tolaga Bay to repair it.

The repairs were scheduled for yesterday, and Mr Turner said any local resistance would not be tolerated.

"The police have a presence in Tolaga Bay and would certainly assist us in making sure the site is secure."

The 74-year-old wharf, which stretches 660m out to sea, has been closed for maintenance and structural work since February.

An Australian contractor is doing the work, which Mr Brooker said the community was told would take six months.

He said holidaymakers were "spewing" when they arrived at the campground and found the wharf closed.

But the council said that while the wharf was in the hands of the contractor, public access was prohibited.

Mr Turner said the wharf was effectively a work site, subject to health and safety regulations, meaning there was no choice but to keep people out.

"It's not a negotiable exercise."

But yesterday morning, after three phone calls from Mr Brooker, he had a change of heart and ordered the engineer to refrain from fixing the fence for now.

"I'm taking a bit of a risk but we're going to leave the wharf open for the weekend."

Mr Turner said he had reassessed the risk and believed the possibility of anyone hurting themselves by walking through the fence or tripping over equipment was negligible.

Signs were also in place telling the public of the risk.

However, his hardline approach of earlier had not entirely disappeared.

"The first instance of non-co-operation or stupidity, it gets shut."

Mr Brooker was overjoyed that the wharf would stay open over New Year.

"I'm a very happy camper. It's the special thing about Tolaga that brings people here."

While the two sides are in agreement for now, there are signs the row could be repeated next summer.

The council is planning structural work on the wharf that is likely to take at least another year.

Mr Turner rejected Mr Brooker's assertion that the community was told the project would be completed in six months.

The work was needed to ensure the wharf's long-term survival and the community had to accept it could be closed for some time, he said.

"If the wharf isn't repaired, there will be no access at all. It will crumble away."