It’s been years in the making, and now the $5.9 million brand new ferry pier at Half Moon Bay has been officially opened by Mayor Phil Goff.
The fully-sheltered, beautifully-designed pier replaces the old dock at Half Moon Bay, providing a modern and safe ferry experience for commuters.
Mr Goff attended the opening ceremony on April 7, joined by Howick Local Board, Auckland Transport deputy chairman Wayne Donnelly and members of the public.
“I know what it feels like to start your day frustrated because of traffic,” he said.
“It’s great to be opening another important link in Auckland’s transport system – one that will take people off our congested roads… so today is a celebration.
“This project is architecturally beautiful, well-designed, safe and convenient. I’m really proud to be associated with this opening.”
Mr Goff, who owns an electric bike and often travels on it, acknowledged and applauded the financial commitment of the local board in making the project come to life.
Howick Local Board contributed $2.5 million from its transport capital fund for the project, and chairman David Collings said he is excited for commuters to experience the new pier.
“I’m just the captain of the team… the team really put this together.
“We made a conscious effort to put money away the past three years, and we then had the funds to put into this.”
During the last five years, patronage of the Half Moon Bay ferry pier has increased by more than 50 per cent.
To manage the growing demand, Auckland Transport added four more ferry services to Half Moon Bay last October.
Mr Donnelly hopes the opening of the new pier will play a pivotal role in improving connections for commuters travelling between east Auckland and the CBD, and said he is proud of the collaborative team effort.
“These kind of projects don’t come along easily,” he said.
“We shouldn’t underestimate what it takes to put this together. I’m really delighted personally to see this here… it’s a gift from today’s community to the future.”
A new bus stop and bus turnaround area are scheduled to be built near the new pier soon.
