Names sought for new walkway and bridge

Whangarei’s loop walkway from the Town Basin to Te Matau a Pohe and back is due to open in June. Names are needed for the new walkway and the bridge that crosses the Waiarohia Stream.

Weaving past shops, through markets, beside yachts, parks and industrial areas the walkway will include a new cycle and footbridge across the Waiarohia Stream.
This will connect Hihiaua Peninsula to a new section of walkway along the Port Road side of the Hatea River enabling people to walk the full loop for the first time.

“Completing the loop calls for an opening ceremony," said Council’s Group Manager District Living Paul Dell.

“Unveiling and speaking the name or names will be an important part of the traditional dawn ceremony on the day the bridge and loop walkway are opened to the public so a new walkway and new bridge calls for two new names.

“We are seeking suggestions from the public for inspirational names, ones that fit the area, the aspirations of the people of our District, our history and culture,” he said.

“We’d like people to send in the stories and thinking behind the proposed names so we can create a shortlist for Council to choose from. At the same time we will be working behind the scenes to get the official opening organised,” said Mr Dell.
Background:

The loop walkway
The loop walkway project builds on the ‘sense of place’ work occurring across the District, designed to build opportunities for people to enjoy spending time outdoors in public places, enhancing quality of life and building a sense of community, identity and pride.

Tens of thousands of people each year spend time in the Town Basin area enjoying the range of activities on offer including the walkway that winds through heritage panels and artworks at the Town Basin, down to the spectacular Wave and Waka millennium sculpture on Hihiaua Peninsula.

In June people will be able to continue their stroll past the Wave and Waka, curve around the tip of the peninsula and cross a new pedestrian bridge over the Waiarohia Stream.

Once there, they will be able to follow a riverside path that runs parallel to Port Road, down to the Lower Hatea River Crossing. The path will then head in two directions, turning left will take people through William Fraser Memorial Park on Pohe Island along the river, then onto Riverside Drive and back up to the Town Basin. People who choose to turn right when they leave the bridge will be able to walk along Riverside Drive to Onerahi, and connect with the Waimahanga Walkway.

The new bridge
The cycle/footbridge from the end of the Hihiaua Peninsula to the Port road side of the Hatea Walkway is a pivotal piece of the walkway.

A pivoting section will be attached to the end of the bridge that extends from Port Road, to allow vessels to pass up and down the stream. This section of the bridge will rotate sideward down-stream to open the bridge and upstream to close it.

In all there will be nine piers, four on the west side of the bridge and five on the east side that crosses the stream from the Port Road shoreline across to Hihiaua Peninsula.

The bridge platform to be laid on these piers will rise from the shoreline to a high point mid-stream, and curving as it crosses the stream.
Steve Bowling of Bowling Infrastructure Group said the contract was a 100% local job, including GHK Piling, Richardson Stevens, HB Architecture, Buscks ,SSP Engineering, LC Hydraulics, McKay Electrical and Steve Bowling Contracting.

What shall we call our new bridge and walkway?
To suggest names for the bridge and walkway
email a suggestion to mailroom@wdc.govt.nz or
post it to: Loop Walkway and Waiarohia cycle and footbridge naming,
Whangarei District Council,
Private Bag 9023,
Whangarei, 0148
Please send in your ideas by 5pm 17 April

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