Community gets behind wharf rebuild

 

Mangawhai locals have again put their hands in their pockets to provide funding for a community project. At midday on December 10 the PledgeMe campaign run by the Mangawhai Historic Wharf Trust to raise the money to fund the resource consent closed with pledges over the target of $80,000.

Members of the project team raised the funds using traditional and social media, email, letterbox drops and a presence at local market days. “It’s been full on for six weeks and the Trust has been very encouraged by the response both in financial support and the overwhelming enthusiasm for the wharf project,” said Trust chairman Colin Leach. “I would like to extend a huge thank you from the Trust to all those that backed this campaign. It’s very encouraging for the team, who have been working extremely hard, as we move into the next phase.”

The next step for the wharf rebuild is to get the resource consent process underway. Documentation has been completed and filed with the Northern Regional Council. The Northland Regional Council has determined that a public notification is required, and this means a hearing process in front of a council appointed commissioner. That process could take six months, potentially longer, and is the reason that the Trust needed to raise sufficient funds to finance its obligations through the process.

“The Trust will continue to keep the community up-to-date with the progress of the project through the Mangawhai Focus, Facebook and our website,” says Colin. “While there may be periods of apparent inactivity, you can be sure a lot of work is happening behind the scenes.”