A carpark at the North Mole is estimated to cost $1.97 million. Photo / Bevan Conley
Development of the North Mole carpark and the Castlecliff coastline is now in the hands of the community.
There is no plan at present to take the carpark project forward and the Castlecliff section of the Whanganui District Council’s coastal action plan is in development.
Following sign-off from the council, Ngā Ringaringa Waewae, a community and hapū-led collective that sits under the umbrella of Progress Castlecliff, will deliver the next stages.
Council chief executive David Langford told a recent council meeting one of the appealing aspects of the move was that it “spoke to the core purpose” of local government.
“If I quote from the Local Government Act, we are here to enable local decision-making and action by and on behalf of communities,” he said.
“This is a real opportunity for us to hand over the reins and allow the community to do something for itself.”
Project Castlecliff had “lock, stock and barrel” control of the project, with the council being a funder only, Langford said.
A 2022 coastal action plan survey identified the North Mole as the most visited coastal site in Castlecliff.
Horizons Regional Council estimates aboutd 250 people visit the North Mole each day — about 100,000 people a year.
Whanganui lawyer and community advocate Jamie Waugh brought the proposal to the council in September.
Waugh, the facilitator of the Castlecliff Rejuvenation Project, said Ngā Ringaringa Waewae was a response to the need to deliver things in a kawa (value) compliant way.
Tupua Te Kawa is one of the four values of Te Awa Tupua, the 2017 Whanganui River legislation.
The fourth kawa was about community and hapū collaboration and being community-led, he said.
“It’s a matter of tying all the different things going on in Castlecliff together.
“There needs to be a fit-for-purpose carpark at the North Mole, that goes without saying, but the picture is bigger than just that and the coastal action plan.
“The picture is putting community and hapū in the lead and delivering things for themselves.”
Community-led projects were not new and there was no rocket science behind the concept, Waugh said.
“If you wanted to build a barn back in the day you’d get all your mates together, put a pig on a spit and get some mead brewed up. You’re a community leader.”
Ngā Ringaringa Waewae is directed by Te Mata Pūau, a hapū collective.
Te Mata Pūau representative Hayden Turoa said the new approach would ensure the North Mole and surrounding coastal area brought “immense pride to the community”.
“With the North Mole structural works almost completed, it is time to consider how we can further enhance the space and shift it from an area which was somewhat neglected, to one all can enjoy.
“To achieve that, Ngā Ringaringa Waewae is the logical next step as it has evolved out of the connections between community and hapū when working together on Te Pūwaha, and will continue to be guided by Tupua Te Kawa from the Te Awa Tupua legislation.”
The next step in the process is a series of community workshops later in the year.
Once they are completed, Ngā Ringaringa Waewae will report back to the council with a proposal and further funding details.
The council will need to approve plans and ensure adequate funding is secured before the project moves to its next stages.
The carpark alone is estimated to cost $1.97 million.
At present, $300,000 of central government Better Off funding is available (to be split with the coastal action plan) and Ngā Ringaringa Waewae is seeking $1m through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund.
Council funding to the tune of $550,000 has been deferred for consideration in its long-term plan.
The cost of amenities such as toilets, seats and showers is being worked through and the cost of purchasing the land, owned by the Whanganui Port Limited Partnership, is not yet known.
Councillor Rob Vinsen asked why Progress Castlecliff wanted to get involved in the carpark, which was “basically a roading and parking project”.
“Community groups would [usually] get involved in the enhancement of the area — street furniture, art projects, all that sort of thing,” he said.
“If Project Castlecliff want to take this on, good luck to them, but what’s their motivation?”
Councillor Jenny Duncan said Project Castlecliff was the driver behind the Rangiora St development, which also had a roading element.
“It couldn’t have been more successful,” she said.
“With regards to the North Mole, it’s not just a carpark. The carpark is the impetus for a whole lot of other things to happen in the area, including a cycleway, a lot of artwork and the dune work as well.
“It’s about community passion and desire to see things done.”
Waugh said what made him excited was not being able to envision exactly what the outcome of the projects would be.
“What I’ve seen in Te Pūwaha [Whanganui port redevelopment], and the rejuvenation project before that, is many minds together are far greater than one.
“You can go in with a strong vision and someone else had a strong vision, then something pops into the space which is better than anyone had thought before collaborating.”
The community and hapū-based model saw all stakeholders as important, he said.
“Obviously, council has to sign off before ratepayers’ money gets spent but there is no hierarchical power structure within [the model].
“The council is a key stakeholder that will be involved every step of the way.”
Duncan said she saw the partnership as a way council would do future projects with community groups in other parts of Whanganui.
That opinion was shared by Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe.
“It will be great to see how this goes and to see Ngā Ringaringa Waewae progress it.
“Hopefully, other community groups can pick up what they’ve done and use it as a model going forward for how we engage with and implement initiatives across our community.”
Deputy Mayor Helen Craig said the council was not making a leap of faith because Progress Castlecliff had proved itself “time and time again”.
“To me, the important thing is the document that sets the framework of how we’re going to work together, so it’s very clear at each phase — approvals step by step.
“Let’s treat this as something special, as a partnership, and we’ll go on that journey with them.”
More information on Ngā Ringaringa Waewae can be found at www.ngaringaringawaewae.org
'It has been challenging but it was important to see it through.'