Transit NZ won't chip in for Tangiwai river works

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 687, 20 May 1997, Page 7

Transit NZ won't chip in for Tangiwai river works

"It's disgusting ... I'm speechless!" was the reaction of Cr Bob Vine at last week's meeting to consider the Ruapehu District Council's 1997/98 Draft Plan when he asked if Transit NZ would be contributing toward the cost of protecting the Tangiwai Memorial. Under discussion was the proposed construction of an armoured (rip-rap) wall on the Whangaehu riverbank ! adjacent to the Tangiwai toilet block and memorial which are in jeopardy of being damaged by the scouring of the riverbank following the Mt Ruapehu eruptions. Ruapehu District Council property manager Alan Low told Cr Vine that Transit NZ had been approached to see if they were prepared to help with the cost of the 'rip-rap' wall but they had declined. "Transit NZ are not interested in contributing to the cost as they no longer consider that the river poses any further threat now that it has resumed its normal meandering pattern", he said. The estimated cost of provicling a 'rip-rap' armoured wall on the upstream side of the Tangiwai Memorial is $74,000. This sum is part of the overall budget of nearly $2 million set aside for Parks and Community Facilities in the 1997/98 Draft Annual Plan. Total expenditure for the 1 997/98 year will be $ 1 , 1 98,000 which represents a decrease of $64,000 from last year's budget of $1,262,000. Within this overall budget the allocation of funds for the coming year will be as follows. (Last year's figures in brackets). Parks and Reserves: $559,000 ($567,000); Forestry and employment schemes: $16,000 ($35,000); District swimming pools; $107,000 ($116,000); District Libraries: $242,000 ($261,000); Cemeteries: $77,000 ($77,000); Property: $36,000 ($52,000);0ther operations: $141,000 ($127,000); Depreciation: $20,000 ($27,000).