Council and community work together on wharf upgrade

A long-awaited upgrade of Russell wharf could go ahead if the community can raise $100,000 for the $362,000 project.

The Far North District Council has agreed to spend $95,000 replacing piles, walkway planks and steps at the 53-year-old commercial wharf and passenger ferry terminal.

It also plans to spend $267,000 on a new walkway, steel pontoon and aluminium gangway at the wharf’s southern pier to allow cruise ships and super yachts to disembark passengers from tenders.

But the southern pier improvements will only go ahead if the community contributes $100,000 to the project within two years.

Russell residents have formed a Russell Wharf and Waterfront Trust to raise the money after agreeing to be a partner in the renewal project.

Trust chairman Riki Kinnaird says Russell residents would rather the council had used historic profits from the wharf and a portion of rates to maintain the wharf.

However, the recession and the council’s reluctance to increase debt has opened people’s minds to new ways of funding infrastructure.

“We all need to work together and ensure we do the right thing for the future of the wharf.”

Upgrading the ferry wharf will benefit not just Russell residents and businesses, but the thousands of people from across the Far North and New Zealand who visit Russell each summer.

“It’s our State Highway One.”

Mr Kinnaird says raising the southern pier’s walkway, which has been underwater in king tides, and adding a pontoon is essential if the Bay of Islands is to attract super yachts.

“The aim is to bring dollars into the bay and those guys have it”

Russell will also miss out on the booming cruise ship business if the south pier isn’t upgraded, because passenger tenders can’t access appropriate facilities that are safe in a range of weather conditions and that ship captains are happy to use.

“Without those improvements, we won’t get the cruise ships.”

Trust member John Moolenschot is asking people across the Far North to support the project by sponsoring one of the new planks or piles at the wharf at costs of $100 to $1000.

“Every plank or pile sold will have a plaque with the name of the sponsor engraved on it.”

Other fundraising activities people can support include a $100 per head dinner cruise on the Fullers boat Ipipiri on September 3.

“It’s not just a wharf. It’s an industry.”

Go to www.russellwharf.co.nz or phone Riki Kinnaird on 021-983-531 or John Moolenschot on 021-372-912 for more information about the project.