Developments planned by TDC for Tarakohe
The boat trailer storage compound at Port Tarakohe. Photo: Neil Wilson.
Recreational and commercial facilities at Port Tarakohe are undergoing further development. The Tasman District Council expects to have some concept plans to bring to the community for feedback by the end of this year.
Council’s property manager, Jim Frater, explained that the engineering firm Montgomery Watson Harza has been appointed as consultants to go through a design and feasibility study for the building of up to 180 more marina berths.
“This would involve some reclamation,” said Mr Frater, “because that many berths will produce the need for quite a lot of space for vehicle parking and other storage. A firm of architects called Studio Pacific has also been engaged to design ways of enhancing the marina area so that it doesn’t look too stark.”
Mr Frater said that “one or two ideas” will be brought to the public for their consideration by the end of this year.
“Part of the process could look at relocating the existing boat ramp, maybe closer to the boat club. We’ll also be continuing to enhance the penguin habitat. Later on it’s possible that we could have a viewing area there too. Other towns that have provided areas where people can go and watch the penguins coming in at night, say that they’re a great tourist attraction.”
The most recently completed development on the recreational side of the harbour is a secure boat trailer storage compound. Originally designed to store 20 trailers, the new compound was sold out before it was built, so it was extended to make room for about 36 trailers. The compound will provide year-round or shorter-term storage for locals’ and visitors’ boats and trailers. The cost will be $10 (plus GST) a week for permanent users. Space will also be available on a casual basis.
“Part of the current proposals will show what council would like to see happen in the 10 to 20 year future,” said Mr Frater. “This may or may not involve relocating the ramp, but it will involve some security arrangements for the people with boats in the marina. In the hours of darkness, they will require secure access to the marina and to the dedicated car park that will be provided for them. We can’t have just anyone wandering inside the marina area or having unrestricted access to their parked vehicles. Whether this access is gained via a key or a swipe card is not determined yet. We’re not looking to make this change in the near future.”
One of the best ways to make the marina areas secure is to have a “choke point”, Mr Frater explained, so that there is only one entry and exit point. Securing that point by installing a card-operated barrier arm might also limit access to the boat-ramp. He dismissed fears that this level of security might be prohibitively expensive for ramp users, however.
“The Motueka Boat Club has got a security arm with a camera attached and they haven’t had a problem,” said Mr Frater. “It’s paid for itself quite quickly too. Ramp users here who are paying $5 a launch or $50 a year may even find it gets cheaper.”
Mr Frater also said that $1.2 million had been earmarked in this year’s budget for the replacement of the old wooden wharf.
“This project is being costed right now,” he said. “The plan is to provide the commercial users with a ‘clean wharf’ for landing fish and shellfish. In the next month to six weeks we’ll have a preliminary meeting with the representatives of the users’ group.”
In the medium-to-long-term future council also hopes to provide a refuelling jetty and a sewage pumping area on the commercial side of the harbour.
Mr Frater reiterated council’s determination to make the port economically self-sustaining.
“It’s a TDC asset to be used by some ratepayers and visitors without becoming a cost to all ratepayers,” he said. “We know that there is plenty of demand for the kinds of things we are going to provide, but it has to pay for itself. In time, council expects it to become a revenue-earning asset.”
There are possible multiple benefits to Golden Bay from developments at the port, said Mr Frater.
“If there were, say, 250 berths in what I like to call ‘Golden Bay Marina’ that then creates demand for quite a lot of other services – maybe light engineering, provisioning, recycling and refuse services. It has the potential to create quite a few jobs, and not just seasonal hospitality jobs. Existing businesses here may do better and new businesses may be needed too.”
Neil Wilson
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