Opinion: Building the tidal stairs was the right move

Tidal steps at the Strand are a great addition the city's waterfront. Photo/File

The new tidal stairs and pier on Tauranga's waterfront have opened to rave reviews.

The revamp has been on the cards for a while and I'm pleased to see it has finally opened.

My husband and I went out to dinner on The Strand last week and, after our delicious steaks, decided to go down and take a look.

I was very impressed.

We walked from the direction of town, ambling along the harbour wall looking for stingrays in the water, then came to the steps.

It all just looked so inviting - by taking quite a convoluted path down the steps, we were able to dip our feet in the water. There is no way a young child would be able to climb down them alone, allaying a common fear I've heard voiced.

We sat for a while and watched the boats rising up and down with the current. It was such a relaxing way to end the night.

It made me think how nice it would be to have my lunch break down there on a sunny day.

After we'd had enough of the boats, we walked out on to the pier and leaned out over the edge - after we had unlocked the child-proof gates, that is.

On the way back to my car, we walked through the playground and saw children happily playing there with their parents.

Next stop was the Hairy Maclary statues, where my husband and I tested our memories trying to name each of the bronze animals.

After this very scientific survey, I have to say our waterfront looks amazing.

All these projects - the playground, the statues, the pier and the stairs - have all added up to a very inviting facility that can be enjoyed by everyone.