Hauling up the old Town Wharf

Remnants of a wharf dating back to the early days of European settlement in Tauranga are being hauled out of the harbour bed to clear the way for the $5.6 million replacement of Coronation Pier.
Stumps of heart totara piles believed to come from the first wharf built on the site in 1871 are being lifted out by crane with the help of a team of divers.
Once the work is finished in about two weeks, all traces of an important part of Tauranga's history will be gone forever.
Divers stumbled across the old piles of the 1952-vintage Coronation Pier during demolition before Christmas.
Council communications adviser Marcel Currin said the piles represented at least two previous incarnations of Coronation Pier - back to the days when it was called Town Wharf.
It was decided that the old stumps, most of which protrude slightly above the harbour bed, could present a problem for the new structure so the harbour floor is getting a clean-up.
Historic records indicate the pile stumps could date back to the original Town Wharf which was built in 1871 and extended in 1878 to cater for the growth of coastal shipping.
It was renamed Coronation Pier in 1937 when it became the focus of celebrations for the coronation of George VI.
Demolition project manager Danny Halley said divers had found all sorts of stuff on the harbour floor during the clean-up, ranging from big lumps of coal used to fuel the old coastal steamers, a barbecue, a skilsaw, fishing rods and even a few old pennies.
The demolished wharf was the last rebuild of Coronation Pier carried out in the 1950s.
In its place will be a floating two-storey commercial development and 20-berth finger pier, due to open next summer.
The joint development by Kestrel owner Mark Scapens and the council will transform the old navy maintenance barge currently tied up at the wharf beside the Harbour Bridge.
Once converted into a modern two-storey and largely glass-clad building, it will be tethered by piles to the harbour bed.
A permanent link to the reclamation will make it look like a pier.
Mr Scapens wants to start construction by the end of March, after resource consent was granted by Environment BOP and the period for appeals expired.
"We are chomping at the bit to get started."
First up will be the steel work to support the large deck jutting out from the northern side of the building, stepping down to the finger piers.
Rebuilding the barge can start as late as May to ensure a late spring or early summer opening.
The main building contract was won by Tauranga-based Form Construction, with the finger piers to be built by US-based Bellingham Marine.
Council's share of the work will cost about $1.7 million, including the demolition of Coronation Pier.
There will be a 5.6m-wide public thoroughfare along the deck running the length of the converted barge.