Castlepoint residents eager for makeover

Castlepoint beach-goers are waiting with bated breath for work to begin on the million-dollar makeover of their "iconic" beach.
While original makeover plans for Castlepoint are being reworked to fit with community expectations pending council sign-off on August 6, construction on the project has only been given a start date of "this financial year" by Grant Hathaway, of Masterton District Council.
Castlepoint Ratepayers and Residents Association committee member and DOC liaison Neville Zander and wife Jan think the sooner work gets under way, the better.
"It's gone a long time with it being fairly rough," Mr Zander said. "The sooner it's done, the more people will be able to use it."
Mr Hathaway said the community put forward several suggestions at the public consultation meeting, which the council are now looking at.
Mr Hathaway said these amendments include the removal of planned parallel parking along the beach allowing instead for an upscale of the present "grass verge" parking.
Also, any planting of trees go ahead one-by-one in the case of interference with adjacent housing, he said.
Mr Zander said there are two parts to the concept of the landscaping.
"It consists of traffic calming and parking and picnic facilities," he said.
The landscaping, including parking and pathways, would stretch from the public toilets at the beginning of the beachfront to the reserve at the other end, he said.
The pathway, beginning across the bridge will go around the trees to the first set of steps, Mr Zander said.
"It will be designed so people can skirt around the cars parked at the shop," he said.
The second stage will deal with the upgrade of Jetty Road from the bridge to the scenic reserve, he said. This includes raised pedestrian platforms crossing the road where the beach access steps ascend and a footpath running along the residential side of the road. Masterton District Council has hired the same engineering consultants working on the DOC Reserve design at Castlepoint in an effort to achieve continuity, Mr Hathaway said.
Committee member John Keen said the point of the plan is to encourage pedestrianism.
"It's to enhance the look of Castlepoint and continue pedestrian traffic to link with the reserve along the foreshore," he said.
"The main thing to remember is that this is a long-term strategy rather than an ad hoc little bit here, little bit there," he said.
"It's through the first stages and we're looking forward to the commencement of development."