"The future of the structure has been discussed for over 10 years and now we have to start making decisions," council transportation manager Karl Jackson said yesterday in announcing the closure.
"Council has been working on the future of the suspension bridge. It was important that the visitor experience to the Hokitika Gorge is not diminished; however, visitor safety at the site is paramount.
"The bridge was built in 1933 and is about 90 years old, although almost every part of it has been replaced at some point over this time. The stage it is at now is there is an increasing risk of structural failure."
The council today released a timeline showing successive councils had been made aware of problems.
A second bridge, built by the Department of Conservation in 2020, will remain open.
However, on social media, almost all photos show the original bridge, or are taken from it. Images of Hokitika Gorge from that bridge are often used to promote West Coast tourism.
Wendy Jepson, who runs the Hurunui Jacks accommodation at Kaniere, is concerned there will be confusion over the closure and tourists will bypass not just the gorge, but Hokitika.
"It [the gorge] is a particular thing they want to do. They want that image. My worry is that when tourists hear it’s shut, they will change their plans.
"Half the people who stay don’t even realise there’s a second bridge. The signs will have to get better."
The Greymouth iSite runs tours to Hokitika Gorge, and uses it in promotions.
Owner Phillip Barnett said they were waiting to see what the new route looked like.
As the Blue Pools bridges at Haast were also closed and people were unable to walk to the glaciers, the worry was some tourists would re-route and avoid the West Coast altogether.
"It really is a shame."
Mr Jackson said high priority maintenance work identified in an inspection by consultants WSP (formerly Opus) in August 2022 had not been carried out due to council funding constraints.
A successful application for $150,000 had been made to the Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF), along with a $50,000 council contribution, but that would only be a short-term solution.
The council said an entirely new structure was needed.
"In order to stay open past October 2023, the high priority maintenance works will need to be completed using the TIF funding and council contribution. In September, staff will provide a report to council outlining ... options for ongoing maintenance, renewals and possible replacement and demolition of the present bridge structure, and seek a decision on the future direction of the structure."
In the meantime, the second suspension bridge built further up the gorge can be used to provide alternative access to the opposite side of the river.
The bridge closure also means closing part of the track. The viewing platform will remain open.
Department of Conservation (Doc) Hokitika operations manager Owen Kilgour said the Hokitika Gorge Walk was an iconic West Coast destination for international and domestic visitors.
"While the swing bridge is owned by the Westland District Council, and it’s for them to make decisions about its future, Doc clearly has a strong interest in the gorge. We’re supporting the council to develop a long-term solution.
"Doc has done some contingency planning to ensure we continue to deliver a world-class visitor experience at the gorge despite the bridge closure," he said.
Doc would temporarily re-route the Hokitika Gorge Walk, offering two out and back experiences — a short, fully accessible walk to the first viewpoint, and a longer one over the new swing bridge to the "beach" area.
