“We’ve got a number of conversations to have with the families of those that lost loved ones, because we also want to be respectful and understand what they’d like to see,
“I think I can probably confidently say we don’t have a campground where the slip happened, we got to make some decisions around what we do with that land and how we remember this very tragic event.”
Access to Mauao is restricted, and cordons remain along parts of Marine Parade and Adams Ave, as geotechnical experts assess conditions.
Drysdale said the current focus is to mitigate risks around the Mount Maunganui landslip, so that businesses nearby can open before the Waitangi weekend.
He said three businesses remain closed on Adams Ave, but he’s hopeful that they can safely open by Friday.
Drysdale said shipping containers have been put in as a precaution, and more work will be done on Thursday to stabilise the land.
“By putting these mitigations in place, and this is always subject to geotechnical advice, we’re confident that we can make it safe enough that we’re happy to open that,” he said.
Drysdale said businesses have had a hard time since the tragedy, and he hopes that visitors can still come and support them during the Waitangi weekend.
“We hope that people still come down to the area and support these businesses; this was a natural disaster and no doing of themselves, but they have been caught in the crossfire, so we’re doing what we can to support them.”
- RNZ
