Whaaingaroa Wharf Walkways project

The Whaaingaroa Wharf Walkways project aims to create a pedestrian-friendly precinct that is safer and more accessible for all ages and abilities.

As part of this project, we are planning to create a western and eastern walkway at the wharf. The western walkway will feature tidal steps and terraces to improve access to water in two locations and will connect the existing walkway at the end of Wallis Street to the wharf. The smaller eastern walkway will connect the wharf to the proposed location for the new pontoon.

What is happening now?

Trucks have delivered several hundred tonnes of volcanic basalt paddock boulders to the eastern side of the wharf which have been used to construct a seawall.

Council contractors have poured concrete for the seawall, as well as kerbing on the eastern walkway, and the kayak ramp and stairs.

With the concreting work complete, we can now focus on the final surface finishes, like laying the asphalt for the eastern walkway.

What you told us

In 2021, we asked for your feedback on two options for the western walkway. We received more than 100 responses from the community with the majority favouring option one.

Whāingaroa Wharf Walkways project - Concept option 1

Birdseye view of the preferred western walkway option.

This option features tidal stairs that are located closer to the wharf, which will provide longer access to the water at all tides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to know more? We’ve put together some FAQs to help answer some of those burning questions.

When will construction start and how long will it take?

We’ll start construction of the eastern walkway and kayak ramp in March 2023 along with the new pontoon and handrail.

All going to plan, this should be complete by April 2023.

We expect to start work on the western walkway later this year once our designs have been finalised.

Will there still be access to the wharf during construction?

Yes, while work is underway, you’ll still be able to access the boat ramp and visit the shops and eateries at the wharf throughout construction.

For safety reasons, there will be times when parts of the wharf are closed, however this will not affect access to the businesses on the wharf.

We’ll keep the community updated so you know what to expect when you visit the wharf.

Will the project affect the parking spaces at the wharf?

No parking spaces will be removed.

How will this project be funded?

In 2019, Waikato District Council and the Raglan Community Board were granted $2.5 million in funding from the Provincial Growth Fund. This was allocated to four projects – including the Whāingaroa Wharf Walkways project – which are focused on the improvement of the wharf and wider harbour now and into the future.

Due to a significant increase in construction costs since the start of Covid-19, when we began this project, we only have enough funding to carry out three of the four projects.

Late in 2022, we applied for funding through the Better Off funding package and were successfully allocated $3.2 million, which will help us carry out the fourth project.

Has the community been consulted on this previously?

During the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan, the community told us improving accessibility to the town centre and improving walking and cycling infrastructure were top priorities. This was also made clear in the Raglan Naturally Plan.

While small in scale, we hope this project will go some way towards achieving those aspirations.