Pāpāmoa War Memorial project begins with site blessing

The site of the new Papamoa War Memorial at the Stella Place carpark. Photo/Supplied.

The first stage of construction for the new Pāpāmoa War Memorial is under way.

Tauranga City councillor Steve Morris said the Stellar Pl carpark memorial site which overlooks the sea was blessed by members of Ngā Potiki iwi on Wednesday morning.

Earthworks are set to begin, with the clearing of the site before pouring of the concrete foundations for the plinth, he said.

Morris said the black granite spire which would sit on top of the plinth was being engraved in Blenheim.

The project was scheduled to be completed in time for the centennial of Armistice Day on November 11, when hostilities in World War I ceased in 1918.

Morris said the $25,000 memorial project was 100 per cent community funded.

That included a generous donation from Mike Burrows, from Burrows Concrete Ltd, who has donated his company's time and materials to build the foundation and plinth.

Burrows also made the first donation for the granite spire.

Rowan McKeany from Classic Builders was designing the landscaping plan, and Sean Cowan from JA Russell is installing the lighting system, he said.

Morris said a flagstaff similar to those in Gate Pa would be added hopefully in time for the 2019 Anzac Day commemorations, and Ngā Potiki iwi had gifted a New Zealand flag.

Both the memorial and the flagstaff would be lit up at night, and because of the memorial's scale and location it would be an "impressive, awesome sight", he said.

"This memorial is going to be full of symbolism and because of Ngā Potiki's donation the New Zealand flag will be flying on it 24 hours a day."

Morris said the war memorial would honour all those who served in the three armed forces and the merchant navy, including a large number of Ngā Potiki iwi's men.

"We're going to thin out some of the trees to make sure it's really visible from the road. When it's finished it will be a brilliant, fitting place for people to come to pay their respects any time of the day."