A small crowd of Tauranga City councillors, construction workers and stakeholders gathered on waterfront for the blessing of the new tidal stairs project this morning.

The $2.8 million project which council hopes to open to the public by Easter 2017 includes 49 metres of tidal stairs, a new 27 metre pier and a new 24m x 3m floating pontoon.

Tauranga Mayor-Elect Greg Brownless was on hand to turn the sod, although he had to settle for a spade and not the digger behind him.

Councillors in attendance included Kelvin Clout, Bill Grainger, Larry Baldock and Terry Molloy along with Tauranga City Council chief executive Garry Poole.

The ceremony began with local kaumatua Puhirake Ihaka welcoming the guests before Peri Kohu gave thanks to God for his role in bringing the project to fruition, and asked he make the waterfront a safe space for children.

Mayor-Elect Greg Brownless praised the project saying he was personally excited about the new wharf which would replace the long-gone Coronation Pier.

'Like many people, I remember Coronation Pier, which has left a gap on the waterfront. So I'd like to see the new wharf used, as well as people coming down on their lunch break to use the tidal stairs.”

Former deputy mayor Kelvin Clout says the project came about from engagement with the community.

'We were looking at our Civic Heart project, asking people what they'd like to see in the CBD, and reformation of the waterfront was among the responses,” says Kelvin.

'There's a desire for people to engage with the harbour, and put their feet in the water. Having a pier and pontoon opens up different possibilities to activate the waterfront and make the most our natural amenities.”

In regards to safety, Kelvin says council has made sure to do many tidal flow measurements, and where the stairs will be is deemed to be very low risk.

City Development Project Leader Morgan Jones says the project is integral to wider developments along the waterfront and in the rest of the CBD.

'Over the last 12 months we've been discussing with the community about what they want from the CBD. Many people talk about the rail line, and how it almost cuts us off from the waterfront.

'So the project gives people different ways of accessing the harbour, not just via the tidal stairs, but the pontoon as well. In fact, we've had tourism operators interested in using the pontoon, and there could even be a revived ferry service between Pilot Bay and the CBD.”

The tidal stairs project will add to an already vibrant waterfront, which includes a playground, dance-o-mat, and the Hairy Maclary statues.

Elected Members approved the Access to Water project at a Council meeting on 15 December 2015, following feedback from the community, iwi and water users on the proposed concept.

The community will be able to watch the construction as it happens via a camera feed at: www.tauranga.govt.nz/accesstowater.

Guests and key stakeholders assemble for the blessing. Photo: Chris Callinan.