Pilot Bay to be partially closed

Pilot Bay erosion.

A popular part of Mount Maunganui will be partially closed next week.

Pilot Bay will be renourished with 500 cubic metres of sand from 13-15 November.

'Because it's a very busy area and it's exposed to both wind and water, Pilot Bay is vulnerable to erosion. It's important we replenish it to make sure it's safe and accessible for boaties and beach-goers,” says Team Leader: Parks and Reserves, Warren Aitken.

Large trucks and other machines will be working in the area during the day and a section, from Salisbury Wharf to the waka ama shed, will be fenced for public safety during this time.

Some car parking at the Salisbury Wharf end will also be unavailable.

'It'd be best to avoid the area during work hours, or take the family up to the Mauao end of the bay.”

Port of Tauranga will supply the 500 cubic metres of sand for the replenishment. Port of Tauranga regularly supplies sand (a by-product of maintaining local shipping channels) for beach replenishment and road construction.

Port of Tauranga Chief Executive Mark Cairns says recycling the sand is one way the port can support local environmental projects.

'The sand supply ensures our beaches remain attractive for residents and visitors, including the passengers from cruise ships that dock right next to Pilot Bay,” he says.

Tauranga City Council monitors the profile of the beach regularly and aims to complete this kind of rejuvenation more often in future.

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2 comments

Mother Nature always wins

Posted on 09-11-2017 15:35 | By backofthequeue

Whilst I appreciate the desire for Pilot Bay to be aesthetically pleasing I would suggest that 500 cubic metres of sand on the foreshore will soon be 500 cubic metres of sand in the harbour channel only to be dredged again. And around and around we go.


This

Posted on 09-11-2017 18:01 | By Capt_Kaveman

is not POT supporting sand replacement it should be part of the consent, in fact 500m is not enough and all sand dredged should be place at pilot bay and or the main beach area, i find it disgusted that POT where allowed to dump all that sand over the years at sea


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