Storm damaged areas get emergency fix

Two months’ worth of repair work is underway on Ōrewa Beach.

Auckland Council is undertaking the emergency response work to shore up areas damaged by erosion during recent severe weather events, including Cyclone Gabrielle.

At the same time, it has been revealed that a new project is planned to address the condition of the seawall at the northern end of Ōrewa Beach (from Kohu Street northward).

Council’s programme manager, Sandra

May, says the work currently underway is to address access as well as health and safety concerns across several sections of the beach from Remembrance Reserve, Kinloch Reserve, along Marine Parade and Arundel Reserve.

It began last month, and is expected to be completed towards the end of next month depending on the weather.

The estimated total cost for the work is $180,000.

It includes restacking and bringing in more rock to protect existing assets, such as public reserves. Damaged beach access stairs are being removed and two sets of stairs, at Kinloch Reserve and Arundel Reserve, will be replaced.

The work also covers the removal of an undermined picnic set, repair to the boat ramp at Puriri Avenue, and the replacement of a damaged boat ramp at Arundel Reserve. May says that stream protection work in Kinlock Reserve, including planting and remedial work, has been designed to tie in with the future seawall that is to be built from Kohu Street to Marine View. However, she says these works are outside the scope area for the seawall.

“However, a new project is being created on the Regional Coastal Renewal Works Programme to address the condition of the existing seawall along the northern end of Ōrewa Beach in the future,” May says. “This project will extend from Kohu Street northward and address some of the areas in addition to the emergency response work.” She says the exact scope and timeline of this work are yet to be confirmed.