Catherine Stewart Tauranga City Councillor

There has been a lot of comment in the media lately regarding cycleways and walkways.

The Government and New Zealand Transport Agency will match council funding for cycleways to about 50 per cent of the cost.

During Tauranga City Council's Long Term Plan deliberations a majority of elected members supported budgeting $30,000 to investigate a potential The Strand to Memorial Park walkway.

This was first mooted some seven years ago as part of the Southern Pipeline project. A Resource Consent was sought in 2008 and granted in 2009 subject to conditions and appeals. Council decided not to continue with the process at that point and time.

The seaside walkway component cost for investigations up to May 2009 was $1 million. One of the hurdles is riparian rights, which would have entailed permanent water access for those residents. I understand ongoing costs would have been required to operate a 'bridge system” for each of those affected properties.

There is a myriad of historic paperwork on this topic which should negate the need to spend $30,000. Back in 2010 the Memorial Park to The Strand budget was more than $10m with the pipeline going under the walkway.

Elected members met with residents recently to hear their concerns. One resident raised the practicalities of a walkway, given potential damage to any structure during easterly storms.

Another resident suggested replenishing the beach and making it more attractive for people to walk on, in its natural state. Maintaining and enhancing our natural environment should be our main focus.