Half Moon Bay Boat ramp
In early January the boat ramp in Half Moon Bay suffered damage thanks to a storm coupled with a king tide.
The broken pontoons were taken away and that’s been it. There appears to be no notice to boaties given as to when they will be repaired.
Just wondering if the Times could perhaps investigate this one further. I’m like other boaties, I know, unable to use the ramp in its current form without some degree of difficulty and then therefore…risk.
Once you start jumping in the water trying to hold a 20ft+ boat straight so it will go back on the trailer with wind, current and other craft….too hard…and dangerous.
Jeremy Troup
Board needs to get on with it
We share the concerns of many residents in Cockle Bay, Mellon’s Bay, Howick Beach and the Eastern and Buckland’s Beaches, over the recent storm effects on our beaches which we have long-maintained are core community assets.
Residents become concerned and rightly so, when little is done to protect those assets.
In July 2017 the Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Residents and Ratepayers held a public meeting inviting council, Howick Local Board members and the council coastal erosion team.
At this meeting concerns were raised by the public about the effects of erosion and flooding from major storm events. There was considerable discussion about what could be done to protect our beaches in the future.
Very workable solutions were put to the meeting by Bruce Kendall (admittedly focusing on Buckland and Eastern Beaches but very much applicable to all our beaches).
Council officers from the Coastal Erosion Team commented at the time about the quality, scope, and workability of the solutions proposed, and promised to get back to the community, with proposals to address the issues after running their options by the Local Board.
Auckland Council’s Coastal Erosion Team presented their options for beach erosion to the Local Board in November 2017 and it would have been reasonable to expect the Local Board to prioritise an action plan on the basis of the report.
Regrettably, there has been no such action to date. It is fair to say that even if a plan had been put into place November/December 2017, it may not have lessened the impact of the storms on our beaches in January. But at the very least they would have plans and options to present to us, rather than knee jerk reactions and inappropriate wall solutions after the event.
The board’s excuse that it does not have money to start to resolve the issues is not quite correct and in our opinion is a fob-off.
The Local Board has a significant amount of money for local discretionary projects well in access of $1 million. It also has a $2.9M discretionary transport budget (roads are at risk from beach erosion).
Our message to the Local Board is get on and fix the problems – you have funds and we need you to move!
Steve Udy
Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Residents’ and Ratepayers
