Preparing to open soon: Waiheke Island's new Kennedy Point Marina. Photo / Supplied
Preparing to open soon: Waiheke Island's new Kennedy Point Marina. Photo / Supplied
Construction of Waiheke Island’s first marina is nearing completion with berth structures up at Kennedy Bay and the opening announced for September.
Kitt Littlejohn, a director of the development business at Kennedy Point Marina, said building work at the 181-berth structure was progressing fast and was on target for openingin three months’ time.
Construction on site is about 85 per cent finished.
The last concrete pour for the marina’s new wharf will be done in the next weeks and then balustrades, gates, gangways and utilities will be installed. All of the floating units for the 70 car parks for marina users are on-site and piled in place, and only the last three berth piers need to be completed, he said.
The marina’s floating office/cafe building is being built in Whangarei and will be finished around mid-July, then towed to the site.
“There’s no specific opening date in September yet. It all comes down to the final signoff of engineering works and consented plans. We’ve advised berth holders that once these come through and all of the systems are up and operating they will be able to bring their boats in,” he said.
These plans show the new floating cafe, Kennedy Point Marina, Waiheke Island. Photo / supplied
The marina business will soon begin talking to Waiheke businesses who might be interested in forming partnerships to provide services to berth holders.
“The company has always seen the marina as having a value to the whole Waiheke community and providing opportunities for safe coastal recreation and enjoyment for many,” Littlejohn said.
The floating cafe on the marina will be available for businesses to hold functions and for public meetings.
“The company is keen to secure a local cafe and restaurant operator to run this unique facility and will be inviting interest shortly,” he said.
Of the 181 berths, 90 per cent are under contract to be settled on opening.
Kororā or penguin monitoring has shown the birds at 25 of 55 locations and a number of active burrows identified. An April kororā monitoring survey revealed birds at 13 locations, with two kororā recorded at a regularly used burrow.
“Our ecologists continue to confirm that the use of the breakwater by kororā has not been disrupted by construction works,” the business said.
In 2021, protestors tried to stop the project in its initial phase, violence broke out, construction work stopped and the police were called.
The developer claimed at that time that a 55-year-old site security guard was “repeatedly” kicked in the head by a protester, shoved into a narrow hole on a pontoon and could have drowned.
Littlejohn said at the time that the company did not condone violence. In another anti-marina move, a protestor removed all her clothing on rocks at the foreshore.
Police made 14 arrests. Work stopped and the protest action resulted in extensive subsequent court action.
Later in 2021, interim injunction orders were granted barring 32 protesters from the marina site after fears of renewed action when Covid lockdown measures were relaxed.
Developer Tony Mair whose business built the new Waiheke marina. Photo / Bradley Ambrose
Justice Ed Wylie in the High Court at Auckland granted Kennedy Point Boatharbour’s application for interim injunctions against the protesters, saying there was “an urgent need” to act because pandemic restrictions were being relaxed.
Affidavits were presented saying protesters were planning action so the developer wanted to head that off in advance.
The Protect Pūtiki Ngāti Poa-led group expressed strong dissatisfaction with the injunctions and vowed to overturn them because, they said, they were illegal. But they failed.
The marina was granted resource consent last decade. Berths were pre-sold from $180,000 according to developer Tony Mair.
Waiheke’s Gulf News has reported this month that the last of the protesters have left the bay area.
Neighbours complained about semi-permanent residences being erected on the waterfront in front of the marina and people living there for years.
But this month, Gulf News cited the departure of Paoa kaitiaki Hera Hikaita, 72, who had lived in a van at the bay for years.
* Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 23 years, having won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
