The as-of-yet officially opened "1000-year bridge" connects the Cook Landing Site reserve to Titirangi maunga in Gisborne.
The as-of-yet officially opened "1000-year bridge" connects the Cook Landing Site reserve to Titirangi maunga in Gisborne.
Someone has removed fencing preventing entry to the “1000-year bridge”, despite the Gisborne District Council-Ngāti Oneone joint project being unfinished.
The council said it had not removed the fencing to the pedestrian bridge at Kaiti Beach Rd, which is in the shape of a waka and connects Puhi KaiIti/Cook Landing site to Tītīrangi/Kaiti Hill.
“We are delivering this project in partnership with Ngati Oneone hapū and the formal opening of the bridge will be decided with them,” the spokeswoman said.
“While the structure is complete and compliant, the final cultural elements - a puhoro [spiral designs] and rauawa [boards attached to the hull of a waka] - which are integral parts of the waka, have been commissioned.
“Work to install these elements is progressing, following which the opening date can be confirmed.”
Ngāti Oneone chairwoman Charlotte Gibson declined to comment.
Last year it was announced at a council meeting that the bridge could possibly be opened before Christmas, but the council and Ngāti Oneone had issues over “cultural elements”.
Eastland Port log yards, Tūranganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay and Young Nicks Head/Te Kūri-a-Pāoa can be seen from the "1000-year bridge" in Gisborne.
Several people, including foreign tourists, were seen walking across the bridge when the Gisborne Herald visited.
All spoke highly of the bridge but did not appear to be aware of completion issues and the absence of a formal opening with Ngāti Oneone.
The bridge, shaped to look like a waka, stands 6.3m above Kaiti Beach Rd.
It offers views of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay from where navigators arrived by canoe, waka and ship over the past 1000 years.
The structure is funded with a Lotteries Grant of $3.1 million ($2.68m for the bridge and $389,000 for the Te Maro viewing platform) and a Trust Tairāwhiti grant of $343,000.
