Local Focus: Earthworks begin at Te Rae o Pāpāmoa - Pāpāmoa Hills.

Construction is under way on the upgrade to Te Rae o Pāpāmoa - Pāpāmoa Hills.

Originally planned to start in November last year, the work includes a unique cultural entrance that tells the story of the coming together of three waka in the Bay of Plenty.

Project manager Matt Stulen said the consent process and Covid restrictions were behind the delayed start of the project, which included a new car park to cater to increasing visitor numbers.

"Due to the complexities of the consents that were required, it took longer to obtain those consents.

"We were also held up with the August Covid lockdown, which pushed the project out a little bit last year, and the current Covid environment has caused some delays in getting the contractors on board."

Contractor Sam Waugh, from HEB Construction, said it was difficult managing staff levels.

"With people isolating and dealing with Covid itself, it's been challenging trying to juggle resources between our own sites."

The park hosted more than 1600 archaeological features including terraces, midden pits and defensive ditches.

To ensure they were protected and preserved, a cultural monitor representing the four iwi involved would observe construction.

Cultural monitor Aroha Ririnui said the four iwi were Ngāti He, Ngā Pōtiki, Waitahā Hei and Ngāti Pūkenga.

"Pāpāmoa Hills is covered with a lot of archaeological and historical places.

"That's why a cultural monitor has to be involved in case we find bones, certain artifacts, occupation sites or even small things like shell middens or kumara pits."

Should any items of interest be unearthed during the work, protocols put in place by tangata whenua would then followed.

"If we do find something, it goes to a place where it's stored," Ririnui said.

"It's placed in a shed at the moment. Most of our taonga goes there until one day I hope we have a museum."

The current car park and walking tracks will remain open to the public while the upgrade is completed.

The new car park and cultural site are due to open in March next year.