Simon Henderson looks at highlights from the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board’s recent meeting.
Funds towards cycleway clip-on granted
The Waikouaiti Coast Community Board has granted $2333 to Coastal Communities Cycle Connection (with Dunedin Tracks Network Trust as the umbrella organisation) towards costs for preliminary design of a clip-on cycleway for the Waikouaiti River rail bridge.
Co-ordinator Emily Cooper said preliminary design costs of $25,875 had now been raised.
"We are thrilled to reach this point. The community has really come together to back this project and raise these funds. I’d like to thank all our funders and financial supporters for their donations."
New Zealand-owned engineering business Holmes will complete the design and the process is expected to take about 3 months.
"We will have the opportunity to add the clip-on when Kiwirail finish building their new bridge, which is currently under construction." she said.
Once it had the design, it could apply for resource consent from the Otago Regional Council and it could work with Kiwirail on the detailed design.
The project has been granted free resource consent processing by the regional council.
ORC engagement
Waikouaiti Coast Community Board members were introduced to Otago Regional Council senior adviser strategic engagement Kate Pettit.
Speaking to the board, she outlined how the regional council was looking to improve its engagement approach, and explained what her role involved.
"I break it down into two hats: I manage the relationships of our key stakeholders across the whole region, and my other hat is improving how the organisation can engage better with our community."
The regional council was hoping to improve its communication and speak to "lots of different people in the community".
"I think the message that I have heard loud and clear is that actually a number of the interests and concerns from most of the community. A lot of them fall into our work streams, a lot of them are what we do."
Her aim was to see how the regional council could better support the community board and see what worked and what could be done better, she said.
Chairman Alasdair Morrison highlighted some of the issues the board was concerned with, such as climate challenges at Karitane Harbour, and at rivers and estuaries in the area.
