Construction of the Tauranga Harbour Marine Precinct was launched with a ground-breaking ceremony in teeming rain this morning.
The $6.5 million civil works contract, won by locally headquartered HEB Construction (HEB), will get underway on Monday.
A small group of representatives from Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, local iwi and marine businesses gathered at the precinct site at dawn to formally launch Tauranga's new marine hub.
Kaumatua Peri Kohu, representing local hapu Ngai Tamarawaho, delivered a karakia wishing the workers building the project a safe and positive outcome.
After a few short speeches, Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby and Bay of Plenty Regional councillor Philip Sherry presided over the formal ceremony, with a sizeable excavator used for the task.