Waterfront safety $23 million more than expected

Thursday, 24 October 2024

The Post talked to people on the waterfront to hear what they think.

It was initially estimated at $7 million but now the cost of installing lighting and permanent fencing along Wellington’s waterfront has jumped to $30m.

With the Wellington City Council about to embark on serious cost slashing to plug a hole up to $600mthrough its long-term plan, it is not the best news.

The council allocated $7m million for fencing and lighting after a coroner’s inquest in Sandy Calkin sparked concerns around a lack of fencing in an area affiliated with restaurants and bars.

Calkin was last seen walking along the Wellington harbour waterfront after drinking with friends on July 2021. He is among at least nine other people have died in similar circumstances.

After a series of fatal falls, Wellington City Council has installed temporary fencing along much of the waterfront.

The council has lined the harbour with temporary fencing in response, expected to stay put for the next two to three years until permanent fencing is installed.

At a waterfront safety enhancement briefing on Thursday, the council discussed the cost of the safety measures. It was revealed lighting alone had jumped to $10m, while fencing was estimated at between $17m and $20m - between $3500 and $5000 for every metre.

Council staff said the fencing price had jumped after the wooden structures along the wharf had been assessed to be in “poor condition” and needed strengthening. The fencing material was also more expensive because it needed to withstand the conditions of the wind and sea.

The lighting costs had increased for the same reasons, as well as electrical engineering work required.

The temporary fencing along the waterfront could be replaced with permanent fencing.

The recommended fencing would line 3.5 km out of the 5 km of the water’s edge, increasing from the current 850 metres of temporary fencing.

Council staff said the price jump was “the absolute necessity” to reach a health and safety baseline.

While the coroner’s findings were not due for several months, the council had proceeded with plans for the waterfront as criticism on past inaction was expected. Funding decisions would be made in next year’s annual plan.

Councillor Nureddin Abdurahman advocated for the whanau who lost their loved ones, but agreed the price was too high and the council needed to look at alternatives.

Councillor Tim Brown suggested installing motion sensors underneath the wharf and hiring lifeguards.

The cost of hiring somebody for $100,000 a year was “a hell of a lot less” than the cost of $27m for infrastructure, he said.

“If we are going to invest a lot of money to save somebody's life, is this the best possible use of that money?”

Brown called for more analysis including finding out what times people were most likely to fall in.

“Having a lighting system that lights up the waterfront like a Christmas tree when it's in heavy use may actually be a completely pointless exercise.”

Councillor Ben McNulty wanted to see projects like cycle lanes, pedestrian crossings and earthquake strengthening work compared and analysed against the waterfront for their health and safety risks to see if the council could carry funds.

“We do not have a luxury of just magicking up money any more.”

Councillor Nicola Young said the increased costs were “gobsmacking”, and while she favoured an increase in the lighting at night, she said it was all theoretical talk with the council’s current spending situation.