Whakatāne District Council invites anyone interested in the future of the Wairaka tidal pool and bombing platform to an event at Wairaka Centennial Park from 11 am to 1 pm on Saturday, 8 August. Consultants and staff will be on-site to capture feedback about current issues and potential solutions.

The facility was designed to provide a safe swimming area for the community in the Whakatāne River, and to ensure the needs of all river users were met. Since it opened in December 2017, several issues have been raised including access, water quality and maintenance requirements.

Consultants, Boffa Miskel Ltd have been engaged by the Council to undertake the design review of the Wairaka Safe Swimming Area, including the tidal pool and bombing platform, and will lead the feedback session on 8 August.

General Manager Community Services, Mike Naude, says the event is part of a wider plan to incorporate iwi and community sentiment into the revised design.

"The redevelopment project needs input from our communities and users of the facility," he says. "The existing design is one of the highest community-use areas in Whakatāne, so it is essential that we understand exactly what people want and use that information as a basis for the remediation."

The public event follows hui with local Wairaka hapū Ngāti Hokopū earlier this month, and builds on other forms of feedback received since the facility opened.

"We had intended to begin the engagement phase of the project earlier this year, however COVID-19 restrictions mean we are now slightly delayed," says Mr Naude. "I encourage anyone who would like to help inform the future of this important community asset to attend the event on Saturday, 8 August. We're really keen to hear your thoughts and start moving forward with the remediation project."

The event will be based from 'The Pod', which is located by the Whakatāne Boat Ramp.