6 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Bay's wharf upgrade to stay in long-term plan
The wharf at Jackson Bay could be upgraded. PHOTO: ODT FILES
A $4 million upgrade of the Jackson Bay wharf — the only deep-sea port on the West Coast — may be a contender for co-funding with the government.
However, councillors remain split over whether more investment is warranted.
The road leading into Jackson Bay is also a headache for the Westland District Council, after slips reactivated in November are expected to take years to settle.
The future security of the entire Haast-Jackson Bay Rd has been included in a bid to the government's Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF), at its request.
It forms part of package of potential investment supporting the wharf as a critical asset.
In a recent update to councillors, Mayor Helen Lash said an upgrade of the aged Jackson Bay wharf was originally going to be part of the RIF application put forward with the Hokitika Airport upgrade.
"We took it out to eliminate the risk of having the airport turned down ... but [government funding agency] Kanoa have come back and asked us to re-present that."
Almost $10m of RIF co-funding was announced for the airport upgrade this year by way of a suspensory loan.
If successful, the Jackson Bay project would be secured in the same way. Mrs Lash said the application was now past the second stage of assessment, and they expected to have a decision at the end of June.
Letters of support from the fishing industry and community groups had gone in with the application.
The $3.9m sought covered a "grand plan" for the wharf to see it was strengthened according to a report paid for by Fiordland Lobster, she said.
A fixed crane, launching ramp for recreational fishers and a tolled carpark around the site that Talley's leased from the council was proposed.
Mrs Lash said they had also included the Haast-Jackson Bay special purpose road in the funding bid.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi funding has been secured for the link, which is now dotted with active slips, until 2027.
PHOTO: ODT FILES
"We have asked it be considered as staying in the picture in all perpetuity, rather than have that challenged, or ... being removed," the mayor said.
"It's a big ask and we've been ballsy with the ask but we've got nothing to lose with it."
She said the application — done at the "very sudden" request of the government's regional economic development and investment unit Kanoa — also had the support of the National Emergency Management Agency as the only deep-sea port on the Coast.
More than 70% of submitters to the council's draft long-term plan backed external investment in the port, largely for the role it would have in a Civil Defence response.
The other options offered in the draft plan were closing it, or selling it to a commercial interest.
Crs Jane Neale, Steven Gillett and Patrick Phelps voted against any more money being spent on the wharf.
Iwi representative Paul Madgwick said any government funding would come with strings attached.
"Newsflash: Kanoa are not Santa Claus. They expect a big contribution before they give out any cash."
Major safety upgrades, including structural beam and decking repairs on a large section of the pier, were completed with $1m of government funding in 2020. However, outstanding repairs remain.
The majority of councillors eventually agreed to leave the wharf upgrade in the long-term plan — subject to shoring up external funding.
They could still decide later to potentially sell the wharf.
Cr Madgwick said its fate could be out of the council's hands at any time.
"God might make that decision for us ... once that slip goes big time." — Hokitika Guardian
By Janna Sherman
