The Aramoana pilot's wharf has received a reprieve of at least six weeks after city councillors decided to defer a vote on demolishing it until the options were investigated further.
The Dunedin City Council's community development committee was to decide yesterday whether to demolish the rotting century-old wharf after an engineer's report to staff suggested it was irreparable and at risk of collapsing.
Ownership of the wharf was transferred to the council in 1989, but it had not carried out maintenance work on the wharf since then, because until 2010, it was unaware it owned the structure.
Following a presentation from Tracey Densem, from the Aramoana League, at a public forum held before the committee met, councillors decided to defer the decision until the committee's next meeting Mrs Densem told the forum the league wanted demolition stopped until there was an assurance the wharf would be replaced, and the league was willing to work alongside the council to make that happen.
She questioned why the council should tear down a historic structure that contributed to Aramoana and Dunedin's character, culture, heritage and identity, without considering what other options the council might have.
There were tourism and recreation opportunities, among other things, in replacing the wharf.
The league would like to see the wharf reinstated on the Otago Harbour reserves management plan, and a working group formed to develop a joint reserves management plan, "to save this icon and the history associated with it".
It disagreed it would cost $450,000 to restore the wharf, and had received an estimate from Port Otago of about $200,000, but did not simply expect a handout from council, Mrs Densem said.
The community was willing to raise funds to help pay for a replacement, and the league had some funds itself and was willing to apply for grants and so on.
There was already significant support, including a handful of submissions in opposition to demolishing the wharf and a Facebook page.
"What we have is something very special. The first wharf when entering the Otago harbour and the last jetty for waving a farewell to the tourist boats departing. Let them not wave farewell to a cultural identity."
Cr Andrew Noone proposed consideration of the issue be put off for six weeks, to allow discussions with the Aramoana community and clarify the plan proposed for replacing the wharf.
Mrs Densem said the league would use the time to develop its project plan, including design and costings.
League chairman Bill Brown said the league was happy the council had delayed a demolition decision.
"It's given everyone time to take in what's been said and come up with a total plan of how the restoration is going to be orchestrated."
