Bridge renovation threatens kids' fun

Despite warning signs, hundreds of children jump off the Kopua footbridge every summer, with the full support of many Raglan residents. Photo / Alan Gibson

Raglan residents fear plans for a new Kopua footbridge could make it dangerous for children to indulge the summer pastime of jumping into the river.

The 46-year-old footbridge, which links the seaside Waikato township with the Kopua Domain and camping ground, is a mainstay on local postcards.

Hundreds of children jump, dive or bomb from a height of up to 3.7 metres into the high tide every summer.

But the Waikato District Council has budgeted $1.2 million to replace the ageing wooden bridge.

It said a technical investigation showed its lifespan was limited and a higher bridge would accommodate a predicted rising sea level of half a metre due to global warming.

But residents the Herald spoke to yesterday feared the bridge could be raised in height by up to two metres which would allow larger motorised boats to use the Kopua boat ramp and make swimming in the area unsafe for children. They are also concerned children would no longer be able to jump from the bridge.

"That's probably the biggest issue here," said Pablo Rickard of Ngati Koata.

"If you check back in history here you will probably find that no one has ever drowned here - now the kids will have to put up with bigger boats polluting the water they swim in."

Local artist Adele Wooller, who is running an art exhibition for the bridge at her Raglan store and a survey of local residents about its fate, said locals were not against renovating the bridge.

"Most people accept that if it is unstable, then yes, we have to build a new bridge if it can't be fixed."

"We just hope it will be kind of the same type and keep with the character of what we have here."

Yesterday, when the Herald visited the footbridge, 12-year-old Zahara Lengware was taking a late morning plunge with her 11-year-old friend Monique Redman.

Both have been jumping from the bridge since they were about 6 saying they were well aware of the signs telling them not to.

"No one pays attention to the signs anyway ... on a good day there will probably be about 50 kids here," said Zahara.

Waikato District Council spokeswoman Norelle Watts said the council was yesterday deciding on one of two plans for the footbridge.

Ms Watts could not confirm what the new plan consisted of or whether the plans would accommodate a jumping platform for children from the bridge.

The council plans to start work on the bridge next year.

Last year it tried to ban jumpers from the footbridge over the Christmas and New Year period with signs erected on the town end of the footbridge.

A group of Maori wardens were also paid $5000 to supervise activity on the bridge.

But dozens of kids continued jumping into the harbour each day.