Toilet funding approved for Coromandel under Tourism Infrastructure Fund

New toilets will be built at Kopu's new recreational boat ramp. Photo / Thames Coromandel District Council

The Coromandel’s tourist hotspot’s toilets and pathways are set for an upgrade after Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) was approved for $$2,206,132.00 in funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

Funding is dependent on project consents being granted.

The Tourism Infrastructure Fund was set up to ease the burden on local communities in need of assistance and/or facing pressure from tourism growth and is focused on investing in projects repairing infrastructure impacted by recent extreme weather events and improving future resilience.

It is designed specifically for areas with high visitor numbers but small ratepayer bases like in Coromandel.

The new projects will either improve or offset the costs of repair incurred during last summer’s cyclones and related weather events.

“This funding significantly reduces the capital cost of tourism-related infrastructure in some of our most heavily visited areas,” deputy mayor Terry Walker said in a statement issued by TCDC.

“It [the funding] will make them [toilets] more resilient to extreme weather.”

“Our Coromandel economy is heavily reliant on visitors from outside the district and our ratepayers who don’t live here year-round, and we anticipate visitor numbers rising again this summer and especially after March next year, once SH25A has reopened. This funding will help us keep up with the demand,” Walker said

The areas funding will be directed towards are:

Shared pathways, beach accessways, and beach stairs in several Mercury Bay locations - $302,500.

New and upgraded toilets - $2,206,132.

• Coromandel Town – new, at the Ride Coromandel Bike Park
• Waikawau, Thames Coast – replacement
• Kōpū – new, at the boat ramp being constructed
• Matarangi – upgraded
• Whitianga – upgraded, at Buffalo Beach
• Tairua – upgraded, at Cory Park Domain
• Whangamatā – upgraded, at Port Road

In addition, the Whangamatā Dump Station on Martyn Rd is to be relocated to Lindsay Road at a cost of $169,500.

“Many of these projects were already planned, but this funding will allow the work to take place sooner than originally scheduled and with less impact on ratepayers,” TCDC said.