Suitable site for proposed jetty sought

The community meeting held in Vaka Puaikura called by Minister William (Smiley) Heather and the Ports Authority to seek public opinion on the proposed jetty for cruise ships attracted over 60 interested parties on Monday 26 April 2010.
Issues on the table were whether the community agreed or disagreed with the jetty concept and if there is consensus from the community, the next issue to settle is the site. Leaders from the CICC church are totally opposed to the original location at the school while others including Akaoa MP, Teariki Heather are in favour of the project. Some in the audience called for guarantees as to the wave action from opening up the channel to allow the jetty with the reply that they cannot give guarantees against the forces of Mother Nature.
That meeting followed on from an earlier meeting held on Monday 19 April at Minister Heather’s office where those opposed asked him to hold off on making a final decision until all options had been explored and agreed to.
In preliminary explorations leading up to the meeting, the Ports Authority indicated their preferred option was to site the jetty at Arorangi School opposite the Arorangi CICC church. An EIA had even been prepared but the original preferred option met with strong resistance from many villagers for obvious reasons being the same location as the main village facilities of school, church, village community hall. It is also opposite the official residence of Tinomana Ariki, the paramount chief of Vaka Puaikura who in fact has given her blessing to the project.
This turned their mind to the next preferred option, the beach site opposite the Mormon Church. Costing is a factor according to the Minister’s office with MOIP engineers having prepared a concept design with preliminary cost estimates indicating an additional $1.5million above the original estimate of $2million (not including onshore facilities costs and landowner considerations).
Engineers have indicated that any location from Aroa to Black Rock could be suitable which is why other potential sites floated are Black Rock, Rutaki passage. There has even been an offer from Pa Ariki from Takitumu who has offered the passage in front of her hotel property in Vaimaanga gratis to the Government.. Pa Ariki told them she is looking to the future and looking to having a market located in that area for the cruise ships tourists.
The Minister’s office say the other sites have a much wider reefs and the further out the reef, the more blasting and related environmental impacts and economic cost will be added to the final bill.
Nevertheless, the Minister wants to be assured that everyone comes to a consensus as to the final location so that the project can go ahead with the blessing of the community.
MOIP engineers and Ports Authority are continuing with their search and feasibility studies into suitable sites.

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