Seawall upgrade to improve safety around Ngunguru School

Ngunguru School students Rhiarn Heswall, Mason Woolley, Reef Taylor and Ella Sage with principal Rick Sayers on the soon to be upgraded sea wall. Photo/John Stone

Ngunguru School students are among the many members of the coastal community who will benefit from an upgrade of it's seawall.

Principal Rick Sayers said the school uses the beach across the road for a range of activities -including cross country, fitness and kayaking.

He was thrilled to hear Whangarei District Council would be upgrading the seawall.

"What they've got in mind is far more accessible."

He said the students would have safer access to the beach as the upgrade will have multiple accesses and formed steps.

The current steps to the beach are narrow and the seawall has a steep drop-off.

The footpath was another major concern as it terminates part way along the road, leaving no formal path for the children to use.

But as part of the upgrade, that footpath would be extended from Ngunguru Rd to in front of the school.

"That's really neat," Mr Sayers said.

There would also be disabled access to the beach.

The 100-year-old seawall will be restored in stages.

The first stage starts at the intersection of Ngunguru and Te Maika Rds and runs down to just past the school.

Project engineer Damien Wilkinson said the walls were highly valued by the community, not just for the work they do protecting trees and preventing erosion.

People park beside them, picnic, go for walks, swimming, boating or fishing from them.

"The views from them over the river to the sandspit are spectacular, so we'd like to make the most of them."

Stage one will begin in October this year and will cost $500,000.

The second stage will be along Ngunguru Rd from just north of the shops and south to Kakariki Rd.

This will be the biggest section of the works, and work will begin in about March next year.

The final stage is along the length of Papaka Rd which interfaces with the estuary.

A small section of wall and access points will be renewed and there is a possibility for a paved area of parking.

That work is scheduled to begin in late 2018.

Councillor Anna Murphy said many residents have an interest in restoration and improvements to the seawall all the way along the river and will be pleased to see the first stage begin.

"We are hoping to gather lots of ideas at a drop-in session at the Ngunguru Memorial Hall from 4pm to 6pm on Friday 25 August, so we can build them into our planning before we apply for a resource consent for stages two and three of the work.

"Everyone is invited to come along, have a look at the plans so far, ask questions about what's coming up and make suggestions."