The Kaipatiki Local Board has approved an upgrade of the tracks at Shepherds Park! This is stage 1 of a wider programme of work along the Beach Haven Coastal Connection.

Stage 1

Stage 1 is for the upgrade of existing tracks throughout Shepherds Park. The contract will now be tendered, with construction planned to be completed by March 2022.
Stage 1 includes:

• Upgrade of most of the tracks through the bush areas (shown in light blue and yellow),
• Upgrade of the loop path and coastal track from the lookout to the carpark by the football club to an accessible standard (shown in yellow),
• Extension of the concrete path to provide accessible access to the lookout (shown in black),
• Safety upgrade of the lookout area, including a level viewing area and a new fence set back from the cliff-edge (shown in pink),
• Upgrade of the entrance to Hellyers Creek Reserve at the dip in Beach Haven Road (shown in light blue).

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Stage 2

Stage 2 is for the upgrade of tracks throughout Hellyers Creek Reserve. Work will begin after Stage 1, and will be coming to the Kaipātiki Local Board for formal approval early next year.
Stage 2 includes:

• Upgrade of tracks to a step-free standard from the carpark by the football club, through Hellyers Creek Reserve around the coast to Beach Haven Road,
• Upgrade of the staircase from Melba Street,
• Realignment of several sections to avoid wet areas and provide step-free access, including a boardwalk near the Lancaster Road entrance.

Future Connections

In 2019 the Local Board consulted on several options for enhancing the Beach Haven Coastal Connection to provide a continuous link from Tui Park through to Witherford Reserve & Eskdale Reserve. Unfortunately due to COVID-19-related budget cuts, the funding that we had tagged to the project was pushed out until at least 2024/25.
Below are the results of the consultation, however this may need to be repeated when the funding becomes available again:

• 28% – Do Nothing (option 1)
• 72% – Proceed with Option 2, 3, 4a or 4b.
  Of the 72% who chose to proceed, the options were ranked as follows:
• 53% – Option 4b: Glulam bridge from behind Paragon Ave to near Lancaster Rd, and boardwalk from behind O’Donn Ave to Kahika Reserve.
• 50% – Option 2: Boardwalk between Shepherds Park and Tui Park.
• 42% – Option 3: Boardwalk between Shepherds Park and Tui Park, with a spur to Tui Park Beach.
• 35% – Option 4a: Suspension bridge between Shepherds Park near the football club to behind Paragon Avenue.

NOTE that the football club to Paragon Ave portion of Option 4a, and the Paragon Ave to Lancaster Rd portion of option 4b, are now redundant because alternative designs for these portions are being incorporated into Stage 2 of the track upgrades.

The Local Board is also investigating a future connection from the bottom of Kahika Road (behind the Watercare pump station), around the coastline to the Kaipatiki Road bridge, with a possible connection to Witherford Reserve over the exiting pipebridge. This will effectively link Beach Haven through to Bayview (via Witherford Res) and Glenfield (via the Eskdale Reserve Network).