Waterfront fence is looking good

The danger to the public on the Mangonui waterfront is not in dispute. Photo / Peter Jackson

It might not be the design suggested by local resident Danny Simms (Northland Age September 22), but there were signs yesterday that his urgent appeal for a fence of some description to be erected on the harbour edge on Mangonui's Waterfront Drive has been heard.

The Far North District Council's general manager infrastructure and asset management, Andy Finch, said there were some issues to address, including the wish to retain the existing harbour edge parking, but there was a good case for erecting some sort of barrier to protect people against falling into the harbour.

Two women fell last week, first an elderly local resident, who died, and 48 hours later an Auckland woman, who suffered shock and abrasions.

Finch said the council was looking at erecting a temporary structure as an interim measure.

"Time lines tend to push out a little, so let's assume we're looking at more than six months," he said.

The government had provided funding for an extension of the Neva Clarke McKenna Boardwalk, and other work, but that was not expected to get under way until March next year.

Finch added the Northland Regional Council was not "overly concerned" by the suggestion of a temporary barrier, which could be erected under urgency, as allowed by regulations where safety was an issue.

"We are looking at what we can do," he said, adding that he hoped to have a clearer idea of what could be done, how quickly and at what cost, by the end of this week.

Mayor John Carter, meanwhile, said it was agreed that the existing situation represented a significant public safety issue, but he noted the irony of public opposition in Mangonui to the barrier that was eventually erected, after some years of toing and froing, on the boardwalk.

"It's all very well to point the finger at the council and say we should have done something long ago," he said, "but the boardwalk safety barrier was strongly opposed by many people in the community, who did not want their view of the harbour obstructed.

"We set up a group, and Danny Simms is part of that, to look at continuing to upgrade the waterfront south of the boardwalk. Public safety was a major factor in that.

"We now have PGF funding for that work, including a boardwalk extension, lighting and a safety barrier, and that work will be done next year.

"The council is taking its responsibility seriously, but it's fair to say that the community isn't entirely blameless in this, and neither are some of those who are now calling for us to do something."