The large waka or walkway bridge that will connect Tītīrangi/Kaiti Hill and the Puhi Kai Iti/Cook Landing site will soon be installed.

Director of Community Lifelines Tim Barry, says local contractor Currie Construction Ltd, is ready for the waka’s arrival from Hawkes Bay next week.  

“Night time road closures to the Port will need to be in place and Kaiti Beach residents have been informed they will need to follow these as the cranes will need the full width of the road to lift the waka into place.”

There are three planned nighttime road closures to undertake the work as follows:

• 9 September: 6 pm to 5 am to install the ramp and Waka hull.
• 10 September: 6 pm to 3 am to install the prow and stern.
• 11 September: 6 pm to 3 am (contingency night if required).

“The installation times have some inbuilt flexibility to account for weather conditions, like strong winds, that would impact lifting.”

From Friday the Council will close the Walkway through Kaiti Reserve to ensure public safety. However, this closure will not affect access to the Titirangi Lookout via Queens Drive and Titirangi Drive.

Once the waka is in place there will be further work to complete the project says Mr Barry.

“This includes installing safety railings, the staircase, lighting and constructing a new footpath. The project comprises the open-air pedestrian bridge, which will be 6.3 metres above Kaiti Beach Road.

The project is a collaboration between Ngati Oneone and Gisborne District Council.

It has been in the pipeline for around six years as part of the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project and was initially planned for the Tuia 250 commemorations.

The $3.83 million project is externally funded through a Lotteries Grant of $3.1 million and a Trust Tairāwhiti grant of $343,000.

The project was originally to be delivered in 2019 but was delayed by interruptions that included Covid-19 and severe weather events.

Once installed the open-air pedestrian bridge will offer views of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa from where navigators arrived here by canoe, waka and ship over the past 1000 years.

Sections of the waka in construction are due to arrive in Gisborne next week.

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