Otaki TodayThe Friends of the Ōtaki River is inviting the community to celebrate 25 years of partnership work with Greater Wellington Regional Council at an open day on Saturday, March 21.
Friends chair Max Lutz says the event, running from 10am to 2pm, marks a quarter century of collaboration restoring and enhancing the Ōtaki River environment.
“We formed 25 years ago and celebrated that last year,” Max says. “This open day is really about celebrating 25 years of working in partnership with Greater Wellington. It’s about showing people what’s been achieved.”
The beautiful Chrystalls Bend. Photo Ōtaki Today
The day will centre on the idyllic Chrystalls Bend, with several ways for people to take part. Families can meet at the Friends’ nursery on Riverbank Road near the road bridge, and walk upriver to Chrystalls Bend, or start from the estuary where volunteers will be stationed along the route to talk about restoration work. There’s also access through the Ōtaki racecourse.
“People can park within the racecourse grounds and walk through to the Ōtaki Lakes, then on to Chrystalls Bend and back,” Max says. “It gives people a rare chance to see the lakes.”
The lakes, developed through gravel extraction by Winstone and owned by Greater Wellington, are gradually being turned over to community use. Max says many locals had never seen the lakes because access is limited during normal operations at Winstones.
The lakes are already often for model yachting, canoe polo and waka ama, and in-the-know walkers enjoy the area. At Chrystalls Bend there are picnic tables and park benches, toilets nearby and even a defibrillator.
People with disabilities will be able to drive as far as Chrystalls Bend, and anyone who finds the walk too much can get a ride back courtesy of the regional council.
“There’ll be handouts, but more importantly there will be people along the way you can stop and talk to,” Max says. “It’s an opportunity for those who haven’t been there before to see 25 years of work – planting, tracks, protection and partnership in action.”
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BRIEFS
New speed limits
From Friday (March 13), new speed limits will apply between Te Horo and Ōtaki on old State Highway 1, supporting its new status as a local road. Changes include: Taylors Road to north of Waitohu Valley Road – 100km/h down to 60km/h; Waerenga Road to Riverbank Road – 70km/h down to 50km/h; south end of Ōtaki River bridge to intersection with Ōtaki Gorge Road/old SH1 – 100km/h down to 50km/h; old SH1 through Te Horo township and Te Horo Beach Road intersection – 80km/h down to 60km/h.
Major Events Fund open
Kāpiti Coast District Council’s Major Events Fund – designed to attract high-impact visitor events – has opened for applications. Events are expected to deliver measurable economic benefit and align strongly with the district’s distinctive identity and strategic priorities. Applications close on March 30. See kapiticoast.govt.nz for eligibility criteria, guidelines, and application details.
One a day for brigade
Ōtaki Volunteer Fire Brigade responded to on average one call a day during February. The 28 call-outs included seven for private fire alarms, and six for rubbish, grass or scrub fires. There were three each for motor vehicle crashes, storm-related wind damage, and “good intent”. The brigade attended two property fires, two medical emergencies, and there were two calls to assist the Levin Brigade.
LETTERS
Clip-on safer than bridge
The article in your January 2026 paper describing the cycle-walkway clip-on as unsafe and unusable is totally off the mark. As a user of the clip-on multiple times a week (including crossings on my skinny-tyred, single-speed bike in wet conditions), negotiation of the metal joins requires a minimal amount of bike skill. I suggest anyone having trouble crossing those would be a danger to themselves on the road anywhere. Taking a 90 degree approach to each join at a comfortable speed should be safe for any competent cyclist. It is certainly safer than crossing the bridge in the traffic lane or using the narrow old footpath. I celebrate any efforts to provide cycling infrastructure and off-the-mark unnecessary criticism does not help the cause. If anyone wants to criticise unsafe cycling, try riding through central Ulaanbaatar, or London, or Addis Ababa, or Cairo. . . . Lindsay Gault, Ōtaki
Thanks for the clip-on
As an ex-pat in New Zealand for more than 20 years and a frequent user of the recently installed Otaki clip-on bridge both as a cyclist and runner, I would like to comment on the recent article regarding the dissatisfaction Mr Zwartjes finds with the design of the pathway. Considering how dangerous it was for pedestrians to cross the river in the past I find this construction very suitable, safe and pleasant compared to nothing. This path is a shared space with pedestrians with or without animals, scooters, women with babies in pushchairs, disabled people, etc, and not a velodrome. If necessary according to the weather conditions – rain, wind, etc – or number of users, cyclists have to be aware, consider dismounting and walk. At no time is the clip-on dangerous for cyclists as long as they control their speed, just as drivers have to on the road. Be positive and thank NZTA for providing this project. Jean-Louis, Ōtaki
Joiners are uncomfortable
I don’t often feel moved to comment on an article but will do this time, just in case it is worth taking the story a step (pedal) further. When I read about Gerard Zwartjes’ opinion of the clip-on (Ōtaki Today, January 2026), when he was cycling over it on a road bike, it reminded me that I had the same reaction a year ago when I first rode it. Those joiners are seriously uncomfortable on a non-suspension road bike. It seems all very well for NZTA to say it was subject to a safety audit and that this was signed off by a chartered engineer, but has that engineer ever ridden over those types of joiners on a non-suspension bike with narrow tyres? I imagine not. They also say a wide range of stakeholders were consulted, including cycling advocates, but were any of them presented with an example of these joiners and given the opportunity to hammer their butt while cycling over them without the cushioning of suspension, padded seats or padded pants? I suspect not. Could you invite Jetesh Bhula to come down to the bridge with a road bike and ask them to cycle over the joiners at a reasonable speed. Perhaps we could invite the chartered engineer down, too, and make a party of it. Most bruised bum gets an ice pack. Peter Davis, Ōtaki
Kites back March 14-15
The 2026 Ōtaki Kite Festival will be on the weekend of March 14-15.