Most of us know the bit of the Wainui Reserve along the access between Wainui Rd and the beach. Waikato District Council has just started consulting on a plan for the future of the whole 140ha reserve, which extends from the ends of Riria Kereopa Memorial Drive almost to the Bible Camp. The Plan was last reviewed in 2008, when several submissions suggested that it become an organic farm. That and ideas such as a Mountain Bike Track are now mentioned in the new draft plan.
In the past there has been controversy about camping and music festivals on the reserve. The plan proposes to keep in place the camping ban and the use of the amphitheatre for music, though another summer event for The Edge will probably be held near the Northern Carpark, which is likely to be less noisy for neighbours.
Commercial activity has also been controversial. So it’s maybe surprising that it is proposed that staff alone should control commercial vehicles on the beach and the Coastal Reserves Advisory Committee advise the office on commercial activities.
Another potentially controversial sentence in the Plan says, “The pubic should be excluded from farm areas, as deemed appropriate by the Raglan Reserves Team Leader, due to health and safety requirements.” Council Manager, Richard Bax, has since added, “This would be something specific such as new stock, or after treatment, but would not be the norm.” A further new restriction is to ban access to the pine forest during high fire risk periods, which is likely to coincide with the periods of greatest visitor numbers.
The Plan says it will consider extending the main car park above the surf club. It makes no mention of the shuttle bus suggested in Raglan Naturally as a means of reducing parking problems. Extension of the car park would probably intrude into the Harbour Care planting, which is now getting etablished in the valley above the present car park.
The plan revives the earlier Structure Plan concept of view shafts, but only identifies 8 view points. It also proposes an annual schedule of conservation and revegetation activities and more signposting of walkways. The Plan’s walkways map shows a new track going south from the reserve, but misses out several tracks in the north of the reserve.
Previous Plans have included surveys of visitor use and their wishes, but nothing is mentioned in this Plan.
The Plan is at the Raglan Council office, or can be downloaded at http://waidc.govt.nz/Have-your-say/Public-consultation/Draft-Wainui-Reserve-Management-Plan.aspx. Submissions can be dropped into the office or emailed to – wainuireserve@waidc.govt.nz by 12 August. Council has decided not to hold any meetings or publicise the Plan beyond the formal notice. However, Whaingaroa Environmental Defence will be talking about the Plan at their AGM at 7.30pm on Wed 6 July in the Community House.
Media Release: John Lawson, Whaingaroa Environmental Defence, 27 June 2011