Thirty kaumatua blessed the new Raglan footbridge with ancient karakia at 5.30am on Thursday morning. This was followed at 9.30am by the public opening with speeches by the bridge designers, builders, kaumatua, the Mayor and Councillor.
Around 200 Raglan Area School pupils took part in today’s opening ceremony, singing wiata between the speeches. Mayor Allan Sanson and Councillor Clint Baddeley cut the ribbon and led six hundred people across the bridge for the first time. They named it the Papahua Bridge after the name of the whole area of land, ‘Papahua Block’ that the bridge connects Raglan town to. People then crossed back on the old bridge one last time. Shortly afterwards the first children welcomed the new bridge by jumping off it.
General Manager Water & Facilities Richard Bax said demolition of the old bridge will start soon.
Congratulations Raglan Area School. Your Children ,(our children) did us proud this morning at the opening of the new footbridge. Staff leadership, children behaviour all something we need be proud of. the whole opening was a milestone for our community.
Totally agree Barry. A very impressive opening ceremony made special with the wiata of the school children.