News digest: Tokomaru Bay sea wall repairs underway, applications open for East Coast writers’ grant

Tokomaru Bay pupils inspecting rocks near the Beach Rd sea wall during an ecological excursion late last year.

Repair work at five sites along the Tokomaru Bay sea wall is underway this week.

The sea wall will eventually be completely rebuilt to protect the community.

Near the end of last year, the Gisborne District Council sought a contractor to carry out remediation work at the highest-priority sea wall sites on Beach Rd, Tokomaru Bay.

“The northern section of Beach Rd, Tokomaru Bay has been subject to several blowouts over recent years resulting from storm activity and degradation of existing coastal protection measures,” the tender overview read.

“Several emergency measures have been undertaken over time with rock riprap [rubble used in shoreline protection] primarily used as a remedial response, some of which has been formally designed and some more informal designs employed in places.

“Recent storm events have resulted in several drop-out sites, and the condition since that time has continued to deteriorate.”

A $2,494,706 tender for the project was awarded this year to Gisborne District-based contractor Parata Limited.

The council, in a social media post this week, said the rebuild would take 12 months.

The project is part of the council’s $241 million government and NZ Transport Agency-funded recovery programme.

The council said it was planned and delivered in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou and Kapuārangi Takutai Moana Trust.

Parata Limited, in a social media post this week, said crews were completing rock revetments, mechanically stabilised earth walls and installing eco-reef blocks at five sites as part of the project.

Applications open for writers’ grant

Writers from the East Coast or writing about the region have been invited to apply for a grant of up to $5000.

The Margaret King Spencer Writer’s Encouragement Trust was set up after a bequest from Spencer, a Gisborne writer and historian.

The trust is to help people working in literary, historical or scientific fields acquire and develop their writing skills. It is also to help with the publication of writers’ works.

Applicants must have a connection to Gisborne, Tairāwhiti or the East Coast through birth or family, or must be writing about the region.

Applicants’ written work can be in te reo Māori or English and is expected to have “reasonable” literary merit and general appeal.

Writing for children is eligible. Projects are expected to be completed within two years.

Application forms are available at HB Williams Memorial Library or by emailing annf@xtra.co.nz. Completed forms can be returned to that email or sent to 16 Graham Rd.

Applications close on June 9.