COUNTY FAVOURS NEW BRIDGE ON HINEMOA ST. SITE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 30, 26 August 1949, Page 5

COUNTY FAVOURS NEW BRIDGE ON HINEMOA ST. SITE

Although there was not complete agreement among councillors the Whakatane County Council has des eided to support the proposal to l construct a new traffic bridge into /rthe Whakatane Borough below the present structure, to join up with Hinemoa Street, as long as such a scheme will not involve the Council in any financial commitment whatsoever. This decision was reached at this week’s meeting of the Council.

The Council had a full discussion 'on the question and after an inspection of suggested sites supported the Hinemoa Street proposal as being the most suitable. The greatest fear by the Council was the possibility of the County being saddled with the old bridge, if the new one ■was built further away and it was thought desirable that the new structure should not be too far distant.

Present Site Condemned The site proposed by the Main Highways Board just above the present bridge was roundly condemned. Cr L. W. Luxton considered however, that the most suitable site would be about \\ miles downstream by what is known as the Tarata drain. The bridge would link up with Selwyn Road in the County. Mr J. L. Burnett: Too far down. If it is built there they will prob-. .ably retain the present bridge. Cr R. C. Leslie: We must- decide on a- site, even if it is not entirely acceptable, so we can get rid of the present bridge and not have it left on our hands. One of the main objections of the 'Hinemoa Street site to the Main Highways Board would be the new highway, which would have to be built into the town, Mr Burnett declared. They would probably expect local bodies to contribute towards it but such assistance could not be expected from the county. Cr Luxton: I agree. A road round the waterfront will be an asset to the borough. Mr Burnett: I don’t want the county involved in any such payments.

Unanimity Wanted Cr D. C. Butler said that unanimity on a site was needed by all local bodies so that the new bridge could be built as quickly as possible and the old one scrapped completely.

At this stage the Council stopped to inspect the different sites. After the inspection the site above the present bridge was unanimously condemned. While he thought that the Hinemoa Street position was better Cr Luxton thought that there was a possibility of some erosion, which would mean a considerable amount of protection work. He still favoured the Selwyn Road site, which was in a good stretch of the , river and comparatively free of erosion.

Cr J. Wilson did not like the top

site because of the amount of seri■our. erosion going on. He favoured Hinemoa Street. Cr Leslie liked either the moa Street or the Selwyn Road

sites. Gr Wardlaw did not consider the others. He was in favour of the bridge crossing at Hinemoa Street. With the exception of Cr K. L. Caverhill the remainder of the councillors favoured Hinemoa Street. Cr Caverhill wanted the bridge built further down and like Cr Xaixton considered that Selwyn Road was the better site. Would Have To Contribute At this site, it was pointed out to the meeting, the Council would probably be asked to contribute something towards the cost of forming and sealing an extra por-. tion of a new highway, which would be needed if the bridge were built on this position. The question of the sites was put to the vote and a majority favoured the bridge being built to join Hinemoa Street. Delegates to the pub • lie bodies’ meeting at Whakatane on September 5 were instructed to state the Council’s decision.