Browsing through old Chronicle files, we’re reminded how close we were to making Taronui accessible 20 years ago.
The community dream is still alive.
We want to improve public access to Taronui by means of a new compromise option that would allow public vehicle access only part of the way, creating a buffer to protect the reserve and mitigate iwi concerns.
The Taronui access team has asked for a meeting with Ngāti Rēhia to seek views and exchange ideas.
If you have trouble reading the attached clipping (The Chronicle, July 10 1999), here it is typed up for you.
Promise for Taronui access
The Chronicle July 10, 1999
A council decision concerning the Paganini subdivision at Purerua represents a breakthrough in a campaign to achieve public access to the coastline north of Kerikeri.
The Far North District Council has approved an application by Garth and Kathleen Paganini to subdivide their land into seven allotments and an access allotment with conditions that provide for the future development of an access road to the coast.
The transfer of a parcel of land to the Department of Conservation will provide an opportunity for the council and DOC to work together towards opening up, development and administration of the Taronui reserve in the future.
Calls for the council to initiate public access to beaches in the area have been strong since Tapuaetahi residents erected an electronic gate at the entrance of the privately owned access road to their settlement in May 1997.
A Crown owned strip of land from Purerua Road to the Taronui Recreation Reserve now provides the only legally available public access to that part of the coast.
The Taronui Reserve, together with a 20m wide access strip connecting to Purerua Road, was transferred to the Crown in 1974.
However public access was obstructed by the fact that the formed access road deviated from the Crown strip onto private land in at least two places.
The Department of Conservation has expressed a willingness to negotiate with the FNDC to open the reserve to public vehicular access if a satisfactory road could be formed and a management plan put in place.
Matter of national importance
In a submission to the Paganini application, the Department of Conservation described the enhancement of public access to the coastline as a ‘matter of national importance.’
And Kerikeri resident Roger Evans, who has mounted a campaign, this month appealed again to the Kerikeri Community Board to make a commitment to opening the Purerura coast.
Mr Evans said in a letter to the board, ‘The lack of public access to open coast beaches near Kerikeri is a major and lamentable shortfall in an area that prides itself on its coastal beauty and geography.’
Mr Evans suggests funding to form a gravel road and car parking, and to administer the reserve could come from several sources;
· Reserve contributions from subdivisions in the Kerikeri District
· Contributions from the roading budget
· A one-off rates levy on the Kerikeri ward
· Local fundraising by supportive residents
· A toll on vehicles travelling to the reserve.
He has asked the Kerikeri Community Board to seize the opportunity of providing public access to the coastline as a memorable Year 2000 project.
“I plead with you all, as the elected representatives of our community, not to leave this issue on the back burner or put it in the too hard/too expensive basket but on behalf of the community and its visitors to act with courage, enthusiasm and foresight in this issue. I urge you to gauge and arouse community support and resolve to actively pursue this project in cooperation with the Council and the Department of Conservation for the benefit of us all.
“The lack of public access to open coast beaches near Kerikeri is a major and lamentable shortfall…
“I urge you to gauge and arouse community support and resolve!!’.