Update 26th Feb: Council has now realigned the fence. See update article.
Original article: While the view from the area above the boardwalk appears inviting and safe another story emerges looking back up at the bank from the boardwalk. The stone breakwater was meant to stop erosion of the bank. Instead since the boardwalk and fence was built three years ago, annual weed spraying of the area to the west of the wooden stairs has removed the vegetation that was holding the bank together. Then each cycle of rain and sun has resulted in erosion of the bank until the fence posts are now right on the edge of the bank and one has nothing holding it up. The area to the east of the wooden stairs has not been sprayed with weedkiller and that bank is intact with vegetation holding it together.
When asked who was doing spraying the weedkiller a Council spokesperson said, “It wasn’t us.” He said that their contractors had been told not to spray that area with weedkiller. It seems to be a mystery as who is actually coming along here spraying the bank with weedkiller. Although he said that Council would look at this public safety issue of the unsafe fence and bank, a day later no warning notice had been posted and no barriers had been erected.
Update 4.20pm 9th Feb from Waikato District Council: Council will however move the handrail back from the edge of the bank by approximately 1 metre and the bank will be re-planted to avoid further erosion. The work will be completed by the end of this week.
Update 1.27pm, 12th Feb from Waikato District Council: Council has now decided to defer realignment of the handrail. They are working on a solution.
Rodger’s advice is to stay at least two metres away from the handrail in the middle section where the bank is dangerous.
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