If you’re interested in reading the latest production of the council’s “communications team”, particularly if you made a submission on it, the final Long Term Plan is here (174 page pdf).

In its considerable quantity of words, specific statements about Waikanae occupy a small number.

In terms of the most important subjects:

A second crossing of the railway line for those who live east of it:

We’ve mentioned the badly needed underpass several times.  A much less expensive (and much less satisfactory) option is to connect up the north end of Huia Street with the south end of Octavius Road in Peka Peka (a distance of about 700 metres) so that people can use the Hadfield Road level crossing.

In the meantime:

We’ve already mentioned this emergency rail access intention, too, which seems to consist of a few dozen trucks dumping shingle to form a one-lane path over the track and across some of Goodman’s property; and a lockable gate on each side of the track. How much should that cost?  Think again, this is the council, don’t forget: on page 38 it states it will cost no less than $355,000.

A new one on page 19:

“We’re also planning to upgrade the Waikanae Water Treatment Plant at around $17 million”

We visited this plant in November 2015 and thought it looked pretty modern. Some replacements of equipment are inevitably needed, of course.

Wastewater (sewerage):

Waste collection: no change to the existing (private enterprise only)

Waikanae Town Centre (page 87)

Waikanae Library and Mahara Gallery (page 72)

Waikanae Library
The Council has decided to defer the need for a new
library by undertaking a programme of renewals and
minor building alterations to the existing library
building. This work, which has a budget of $900,000 in
2018/19 and a further $100,000 the following year,
will achieve a high standard of library facility within
the constraints of the existing building envelope.
This will allow us to defer the building of a new
library in Waikanae until 2029/30 and will give us time
to identify a preferred site and resolve any land
ownership issues.

Mahara Gallery
In place of the original plan to build a new combined
library and art gallery on a new site it is now intended
that the Mahara Gallery will have its footprint
extended to take over the current Waikanae public
toilets space on the western side of the building. The
existing public toilets will first be replaced by a new
‘Exeloo’ style facility to be built in 2020/21. The
gallery extension is planned to follow in 2021 at an
estimated cost of $6.1 million, although this remains
subject to the Mahara Gallery Trust completing their
fundraising.

New Waikanae toilet facility (page 78)

As part of the planned expansion of the footprint of
the Mahara Gallery we will be building a new toilet
facility in Waikanae to serve Mahara Place. It is
proposed to be an ‘Exeloo’ facility and will be built in
2020/21 at an estimated cost of $318,000.

Hall renewals at Waikanae Beach and Reikorangi

A significant amount is proposed to be spent on the Waikanae Beach Hall on page 84.

We’ve previously stated that we agree with the WCB that a brand new hall is needed on a different site.

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Other items in this document include conversion of street lights this year from sodium to LED and street works, including “Town centre to Te Moana Road – $79,000” and “Waikanae River to town centre – $138.000”. It’s not specified which streets are involved in this, but must be the Main Road and involve the exalted cycle lanes.

There are also several paragraphs dealing with long term (up to 45 years) improvements to stormwater drains and pipes, without being specific.