New Plymouth District Council refreshes Taranaki landmarks for summer

A winter’s worth of hard work by New Plymouth District Council’s Parks team will enable visitors and locals to enjoy public access to open space and recreational opportunities from Paritutu to Waitara.

The team has worked in all weathers to spruce up Taranaki landmarks and open up access to the District’s beaches and rivers to help locals and visitors get out and about.

Projects have included: $520,000 on the completion of the Waitara Boardwalk, $124,000 for wooden steps to improve access to Fitzroy Beach and $6,000 on planting to help prevent erosion on Paritutu and keep the track open.

NPDC Infrastructure Manager David Langford explained "the team has been hard at work making sure our district is set for a super summer at the sea, as well as keeping our major year-round draws, including our world-class Pukekura Park and the award-winning Coastal Walkway, in top notch condition.

"Our Parks team and our contractors have done an awesome job in Waitara in creating an asset for the whole community, whether they’re going fishing, cycling, walking or just enjoying the playgrounds with the kids. It’s also a great draw for visitors to the town. We’re also delighted with the project to make it easier for people to get access to Fitzroy Beach."

The new Waitara walkway has a native eel (tuna) theme and runs about 270 metres along the Waitara River, including a 2-metre-wide boardwalk running about 210 metres from Queen Street to Marine Park.

The Fitzroy Beach steps, just above Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park, are made of durable timber to withstand the coastal environment and they replace the old steps, which had become run down and uneven.

Advising that he is hoping that the project to build new steps at Back Beach will start soon, Langford added "we know this is something our community feels strongly about so we’re working hard to get the steps built as soon as possible."

Other major projects in the pipeline to help open up our district to walkers and cyclists include the extension of the Coastal Walkway to Waitara and NPDC working with Taranaki Regional Council on Te Ara a Ruhihiwerapini trail between ÅÄkura and Pukeiti.

Image: Work in progress on the Waitara Boardwalk with the old wooden decking being replaced by recycled plastic Enduropank™ from Replas. Image courtest of Replas.