Mercury Bay Community Board OKs Whitianga Scheme

The Mercury Bay Community Board has just approved a plan to improve existing boat and wharf facilities around Whitianga over the next few years, as part of a new Boat Ramp Strategy for Whitianga.

Over the years there have been many investigations and proposals into possible sites for the development of a single “Destination Boat Ramp,” to help cater to the growing number of recreational and commercial fishers and boaties,” said Allan Tiplady, Council’s Area Manager for Mercury Bay.

“With the development of the Whitianga Boat Ramp Strategy, the conclusion is that no one site that will be able to provide a single Destination Boat Ramp facility.

“Instead we’re looking at a number of boat ramp facilities in different locations collectively meeting the current and future demand.”

Proposed options in the Whitianga Boat Ramp Strategy:

Dundas St boat ramp

  • Extend the ramp to create a double ramp with a center pontoon;
  • Extend the length of the ramp into the water by 9 m to give a total length of 33 m;
  • Dredge the channel from the ramp to the main river channel to enable all tide use;
  • Detail design to identify a need for a tidal protection structure to maintain the channel.

Robinson Road boat ramp

  • Build a new boat ramp here adjacent to the existing ramp to facilitate all tide use;
  • Retain the existing boat ramp in its current configuration;
  • Dredge the channel from the ramp to the main river channel to enable all tide use.

Whitianga Wharf

  • Long term the plan is to facilitate the objective of closing the Wharf boat ramp, so a third facility will most likely be required. However before a final decision is made the usage and demand for the upgraded ramps at Dundas Street and Robinson Road, along with on-going usage of the Wharf ramp, will be monitored to assess the capacity in relation to the usage. This will provide the information necessary to make a final determination on whether a third ramp is needed;
  • The current proposal around a third ramp longer term is at the Esplanade northern reclamation. This would involve working with the Waikato Regional Council, Land Information NZ and Whitianga Marina Society to plan the reclamation of the area, between the tip of the Whitianga Marina Northern Reclamation and the existing wharf boat ramp. The current proposal is for a double boat ramp with a pontoon to be developed along with additional car parking.

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