A condition assessment report on the Whakatāne Wharf has confirmed additional deterioration since it was last inspected in 2009 and sets out a number of options for repairing the structure and carrying out the required level of seismic strengthening.
The report by environmental and engineering consultants Tonkin and Taylor was considered in the ‘public-excluded’ section of last Thursday’s Whakatāne District Council’s Projects and Services Committee meeting, because of the potential impact any decisions may have on commercial property and businesses operating at the wharf. The report is available below.
- Whakatāne Commercial Wharf Structural Assessment Report 2015 - (PDF, 6.8 MB)
- Appendix D: Seismic – Initial Evaluation Procedure - (PDF, 2.5 MB)
Funding of $4.5 million has been earmarked for the renewal of the wharf in the Council’s draft 2015-25 Long Term Plan, with the work planned to be staged over a number of years.
In receiving the condition assessment, Councillors noted that the renewal would have implications for the use of the site and have asked staff to report back on potential options for addressing the issues involved.
The structural issues arise from reinforcing steel corrosion, due to chloride (salt) ingress, and subsequent flaking and cracking of the wharf’s supporting beams, piles and slabs. A section at the south-eastern corner of the wharf, built in 1936, has been closed to vehicle traffic due to its condition.