Dannevirke: Beach ramp could be matter of 'life or death'

Tractors in front of the Akitio Boat Club in 2009 before erosion left it difficult for boats to launch from this spot. Photo / Christine McKay

The construction of a new boat launch pad at Akitio Beach is a matter of life and death, not just a recreational asset.

At their Wednesday meeting Tararua District councillors debated if the council should consider funding towards the building of a concrete boat launching ramp at Akitio, and for councillor Jim Crispin, this is absolutely essential.

"If a rescue was to be mounted, there would be problems because of erosion," he said. "With the erosion out there taking away so much sand, there's a drop of 1.5 metres and there's scouring as waves are coming further and further in."

Mr Crispin told the Dannevirke News the sea is unforgiving and he's personally watched a life and death situation unfold in the water.

"At Christmas time there will be a lot of boats out there and imagine if we had a death because a rescue couldn't be launched. I've seen a situation where people have gone up the road and put in a temporary ramp, but with the waves turbulent, you just can't launch."

In a report to councillors, Blair King, the council's chief executive, said the area in front of the boating club has eroded severely, leaving an unsafe angle for vehicles to launch or to recover boats.

At a community meeting at Akitio, on October 30, attended by Mr King, John Barrow of Horizons Regional Council and councillor Keith Fenemore, ratepayers sought urgent action.

"They were very keen to proceed as a collective and through their chairman Peter Greatbach had already discussed options with the regional council. As part of those discussions they said iwi approval had been obtained and they were looking to both district and regional councils for support," Mr King said.

"This is an area where in the past there has been one drowning and regular rescues (informal and formal) undertaken by local fishermen after boats have been in trouble due to the narrow channel through the rocks, or challenging wave action."

Councillors were told there were three clear options.

One was to do nothing, but Mr King did not recommend this.

The second recommendation was for the council to fund $30,000 towards the boat ramp and the required resource consent.

Mr Greatbach, whose company has just built the council's new Pahiatua recycling centre, has indicated he is willing to project manage the work for the council and the community, if council funded the bulk of the work.

The third option was to only fund the resource consent for the boat ramp, but Mr King warned it is likely this option will not be viewed as the council supporting the project.

Mr King said he believed Horizons would work with the Tararua District Council if it holds the resource consent which it needs to acquire for the construction and maintenance of the launch ramp.

Councillors agreed to reprioritise it's stormwater capital programme in the 2015-16 long-term plan to enable $30,000 to be allocated towards the construction of the boat ramp at Akitio and they are not intending to seek cost recovery from the users of the ramp.