An utter nonsense – that was my original thinking. A total $2.8 million for some concrete steps into the Tauranga Harbour, to nowhere. I am talking the Tauranga City Council's tidal steps, pier and pontoon. I was wrong, well wrong. And when I wandered along there last Friday morning there was glaring evidence I was wrong.

Two parents with children on their shoulders swimming and shrieking with delight. Guys leaping off the pontoon. People sitting and pondering. Other people dipping their toes in the water. Office groups with their shoes off. Even a woman plucking her legs with tweezers.

I wasn't so concerned about the health issues, more the time and effort involved in doing it that way. People were just enjoying and having fun. Even passersby were being positive. I could find no further reason to be a critic of this initiative, this investment in the enjoyment of our waterfront. And boy I had tried! Ok, someone pulled part of a broken beer bottle from the tide but that is just warning for us all to be careful when we are at play. And that includes this cynic who will be swimming off the steps next summer.

Good call TCC.

I. Goldsmith, Bureta.