ROTARY PATHWAYS

The Rotary Pathways Project is a combined project between the Napier City Council and the 5 Rotary Clubs of Napier. As such, it is one of the largest projects the Rotary Clubs of Napier have ever been involved in.  The following notes have been contributed by the late Alan Watton, who has represented the Club on the Rotary Pathways Trust since its inception in 2002. Sadly Alan died in February 2008.  Mike Wong now represents the Club on the Trust.

Recent Activity

Robbie Symons and Trevor Kilpatrick prepare the roof

Trevor, Robbie and Mike Wong

The completed shelter.

2014. Building a Shelter for the Rotary Pathway

For most of May, a small band of members of the Club, assisted when possible by a few members of other clubs, and in the early stages, by a skilled tradesmen, laid the foundation, built the structure and finally finished the landscaping, for a new shelter on the Napier Rotary Pathway at the top end of Marine Parade. Regular Club members were Clive Adams, Trevor Kilpatrick, Robbie Symons and Mike Wong with early help from Tim Dodge (tradesman) and Brian Young (President of the Napier Rotary Club 2014-2015)

Trevor Kilpatrick, Robbie Symons and Brian Young work on the foundations

Clive Adams and Tim Dodge (orange vest) smooth the floor

Just waiting for the roof

The roof goes on

Rotary identification is chiselled in.

A job well done.

History of the Napier Pathway

In 2000, Napier City Councillor Barbara Arnott started a crusade to convince the six Rotary Clubs of Napier to become involved in a project to circle Napier City with a cycling/walking pathway. This also extended to links north to the Bay View/Whirinaki areas and south to meet with a future possible such project emanating from Hasting City and links through Hastings District towards Napier City.

In the 2002 local government elections, Barbara Amott was elected Mayor of Napier City. This lead a more determined Barbara Amott to have the proposed project succeed and to also have Rotary fully involve both as a funding facilitator and agent to have public involvement.

Taradale Rotary Club involvement was to be a full partner in the Trust and club member Alan Watton, was appointed as the Taradale clubs Trustee to serve on the Trust. Alan has extensive experience through his employment in local roading activities and also figured prominently in setting up in both Hasting and Napier Councils their Walking and Cycling strategies, building requirements for such pathways and most importantly a very good understanding of the funding of such projects, including that of securing Central Government funding from the government annual roads vote allocation.

At the time of forming the Rotary Trust, Napier City Council were already very active in planning and constructing ‘on road’ cycleways and walkways within their current road and parks infrastructure. The council was very proactive to the Rotary Pathways Trust and the Mayor was elected as one of the founding Trustees and signatory to the Trust deed. This set the trust up as a fully legal entity, with any infrastructure that was to be built to become part of Council infrastructure assets and hence no future maintenance issues for Rotary.

The Trust has held regularly monthly meetings since October 2002. This has enabled the Trust to carry out the business of planning in conjunction with Napier City, facilitate fund raising in the community and ensure a high public input in.

The original concept was to construct some 28 kms of cycle/walking pathway around the outer bounds of Napier City and with physical links to Bay View and Hastings City boundary. Some of the locations for the pathway required involvement of the existing State Highway roading system and use of the river banks and berms of the Heretaunga Plains Rivers. This bought in a close liaison with both Transit NZ and the HB Regional Council respectively.

To provide cross links between the outer pathways projects, Napier City Council put in place a strategy of internal links within the existing city roading system, and any new roads being constructed, and on road network of key routes.

Total

$489.250

To November 2006 a total of $3,060,000 has been expended on the overall project and this has put in place 14.1 kms of cycleway/walkway pathway. Not all has had Rotary funding with Napier City Council and land Transport New Zealand being major contributors.

Far left is the original map showing the concept of the project. The red line rings Napier City with essentially a off road cycling/walking pathway and when combined with Napier City pathway links through existing reserves and on road cycleway marking, total project realises some 74 kms of pathways

Left is the Napier City Council Cycling Strategy Plan, approved and adopted in 2000. Rotary Pathways Trust project follows this strategy plan and Rotary funded, or part Rotary funded have been highlighted.

(Click maps for a full view)

Bay View - 1.6 km long concrete opened in 2003. Joins Bay View to Westshore Esplanade which has on road cycleways marked into Westshore. Pathway 2.5m wide.

Total cost $178,200. Funding by Rotary Trust and Land Transport NZ.

Marine Parade — 2.0 km long concrete section constructed and funded by Napier City Council as part of Council revamp of marine Parade.

This section of Pathway from the Port to NZ Aquarium is 3.5m wide with inserted brick features. Opened in 2004.

Marine-Parade — Awatoto section. Concrete pathway 7.0km long from Aquarium NZ to Tutaekuri River to join with proposed river bank section back to Taradale. Pathway 2.5m wide

Total cost $786,000. Funding by Rotary Trust, Napier CC and Land Transport NZ.

Terminate at the EIT and joins in with Napier CC on road,cycleway marking in Glouster Street.

Total cost $120,000. Funded by Rotary Trust, HB Regional Council and Land Transport NZ