Swimming at port prohibited
Published on 15 December 2022
Whanganui District Council reminds people that swimming at the Whanganui port site in Castlecliff is dangerous and encourages the community to head for safe swim spots this summer.
Port project manager, Phil Wardale, says the port construction site has warning signs in place and is fenced off for good reason.
“Some deconstruction work has been completed but there’s still derelict infrastructure onsite which is extremely hazardous for anyone who enters the area.
“The port area is also particularly unsafe for swimming and bombing because the water depth around the structures is currently very shallow. Jumping from these structures is prohibited because of the risk of injury.
“The two areas where the water is deeper are dangerous as well, as one is used by commercial vessels and the other is the ramp where trailer boats are launched and retrieved. It’s important boats and swimmers don’t mix, because it’s often difficult for skippers to see swimmers in the water when manoeuvring boats.”
He says the council is running a video competition for school students to amplify the safe swimming message. Students need to create a brief video about safe swimming in Whanganui with the chance to win prizes.
Port Employment Precinct educator and business activator, Seletar Taputoro, is visiting kōhanga reo, kindergartens and schools near the port this week to make sure tamariki and rangatahi hear the safe swimming message and know how to enter the video competition.
She’s recommending tamariki and rangatahi living in the port area choose to head out to Castlecliff Beach this summer, to swim between the flags when the beach is patrolled by lifeguards.
“You only have to walk a bit further to get to the beach,” Seletar Taputoro says, “and it’s worth doing to stay safe.”
She says the surf lifesaving club supports the video competition and lifeguards are happy to be approached at the beach to be included in videos for it.
The Port Operations Company is working on arranging emergency dredging around the public boat ramp to ensure the Coastguard and other boats can safely get in and out.
Declan Millin, who is one of the directors of the newly-formed Whanganui Port Operations Company, along with Ken Mair and Mark Petersen, says the port revitalisation project is at the exciting stage of gearing up to release the first construction tender early in the New Year to start to make the port revitalisation a reality.
“In the future we'll see a port with an improved aesthetic appearance, which is attractive to new and current users with jobs and training opportunities for local people.”
Consent will be sought to dredge the port wharves and new infrastructure which, when complete, will have 400 metres of restored wharves and a purpose-built marine precinct, with facilities for Q-West Boat Builders including a 380 tonne capacity mobile boat hoist and a 2,000 square metre heavy pavement area that boats will be hauled onto for maintenance.
Hapū-representative group Te Mata Pūau have engaged with the community to develop the broad vision for the project, alongside project partners Whanganui District Council, central government, Horizons Regional Council and Q-West Boat Builders.
Te Pūwaha project director, Hayden Turoa, says, “The exciting news for our tamariki, rangatahi and the young at heart is community engagement is soon to get underway for a bombing platform which, if consent is granted, we expect to build in time for summer next year.
“No doubt this news will be enthusiastically received. So a little bit of patience and restraint is required just for now while work carries on towards making the port into an amazing space that has been designed by the community, for the community.”
For project updates, please visit www.whanganui.govt.nz/port or facebook.com/TePuwaha.
To find out more about the video competition, check out the Whanganui District Council Facebook page.
Media contact
For further information, contact Te Pūwaha Communications:
Kate Ritani
022 0636278
kate.ritani@horizons.govt.nz
Or Whanganui District Council senior communications advisor:
Holly Hoddinott
0272 505338
Holly.hoddinott@whanganui.govt.nz
Acknowledgements:
Te Pūwaha is a collaborative partnership between Whanganui hapū and iwi and the four other groups invested in the development. These are Whanganui District Council, Horizons Regional Council, Q-West Boat Builders and the Whanganui District Employment Training Trust.
Te Pūwaha would like to acknowledge Te Awa Tupua and its communities, who are integral to the port revitalisation project.
The total investment in Te Pūwaha is over $50 million, with the infrastructure works carried out over three tranches or phases.
This includes a $26.75 million government investment managed by Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, with the remaining cost and resources covered by Whanganui District Council, Horizons Regional Council, Q-West Boat Builders, and the Whanganui District Employment Training Trust (Port Employment Precinct).