Napier City Council considers surveillance options after viewing platform vandalism

The glass of Napier's Marine Parade viewing platform has been damaged after suspected vandalism over the weekend. Photo / Paul Taylor

A case of suspected vandalism has Napier City Council (NCC) considering its options for the surveillance of the Marine Parade viewing platform.

The glass panelling at the end of the platform was visibly damaged and had a barrier around it on Sunday morning.

It is not the first time the platform has been targeted by vandalism, with NCC considering alternative options besides glass after an incident in 2017.

An NCC spokeswoman said this most recent incident was the first time in a while that the viewing platform had been broken.

“Fortunately, we have some replacement glass on-hand which will be used to restore the platform,” the spokeswoman said.

“In the past, we have looked into alternative options to replace the glass such as Perspex. However, Perspex can also be easily vandalised, so therefore is not an effective solution.”

The cost of the broken glass is about $2000 per panel, according to the spokeswoman.

“We are continuing to explore other options, including surveillance of the platform,” she said.

“It is deeply disappointing to see this iconic public space, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, vandalised. Napier City Council encourage any witnesses of this act to report it to police.”

James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. Email him at: james.pocock@nzme.co.nz.