Otaki TodaySave our bridge! That’s the call from more than 600 people who have signed a petition to support keeping the footbridge at Waikawa Beach.
Waikawa locals are concerned that Horowhenua District Council will decide not to upgrade the bridge after shifting dedicated bridge funding into a general Waikawa account. Some councillors have also indicated the bridge is not well patronised, so funding should go where it’s needed more.
The council has told Ōtaki Today that councillors had decided to amalgamate the budget lines for Waikawa Beach vehicle access and the pedestrian bridge. However, no decisions about the future of either have been made.
Summer festivities at the Waikawa Beach footbridge. Photo Lesley Ann Walker
Councillors have asked for more information on options for maintaining and/or replacing the bridge, and about vehicle accessway options. A council survey of the community to see how often the bridge is used was to be done soon.
At a workshop in September they also reviewed a report that considered the bridge to be in “poor or very poor” condition.
A footbridge has traversed the Waikawa River since 1931, providing the only access across the river to the northern forest, dunes and beach.
The Walk on Waikawa Group (Wow) say the bridge is hugely popular and is used by people from Waikawa Beach, wider Horowhenua, and further afield, to safely cross the river.
“Many cross daily to walk dogs on the beach, with regular walkers coming from Ōhau, Manakau and Levin,” the group told Ōtaki Today. “Others come to beachcomb, swim, and picnic, confident that the low number of vehicles makes the area safer for children than other nearby beaches.
“The dune area behind the beach and forest has provided a fantastic wild playground for generations of local and visiting youngsters. People from all walks of life can be spotted crossing over, carrying nets for floundering at the river mouth, whitebait nets, and surfcasting gear.”
They say the bridge again needs maintenance work, with council staff advising that, while it could go 18 months without much attention, it will likely need to be upgraded or replaced soon.
Locals became alarmed recently on hearing about the shift of council funds from a designated footbridge fund into a more generic category able to be used on any beach access way.
They were also worried about what they some councillors’ opinion that the footbridge was not well used, and implying it could be dispensable and the money prioritised for other beach accessways.
The Waikawa Beach Ratepayers’ Association organised the petition so people could let the council know how much the bridge is used and valued by visitors and residents alike.
Sally Maclean, a local who has been at the footbridge collecting signatures for the petition, has been surprised by how many users at the weekend come from outside the Horowhenua area.
“I’ve met people from as far as South Taranaki and Wairarapa who just love this wild west coast beach,” she says. “News of our hidden Horowhenua gem must be leaking out.”
Jan Jordan, who has also been at the bridge collecting signatures, says generations of some families and whānau have used the bridge. She has heard stories of childhood games and rambles in the forests and dunes, while others say they value the lack of noise and vehicles in the area.
“Most were appalled that council would even consider not replacing the bridge when this becomes necessary.”
The Walk on Waikawa Group, which promotes pedestrian enjoyment of the beach, endorses the petition. Wow says it’s committed to ensuring quality pedestrian access together with protecting the dune and beach ecological environment.
“The vulnerability of our coastal areas demands careful, well-managed approaches to protect them into the future,” the group says. “Wow calls on the council to confirm that maintaining and eventually replacing the footbridge is the priority in allocating funding from the Waikawa beach access fund.”
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