Request for Expressions of Interest - Purangi Estuary Crossing Coromandel Walks Project - Stage 1 - Cathedral Cove Walkway.

Introduction

TCDC, on behalf of the three partnership organisations (including DoC and Iwi (Ngati Hei) are seeking an innovative commercial (or otherwise) proposal to provide a service or structure that will take walkers across the Purangi estuary as part of the first Stage of the Coromandel Walks - Cathedral Cove Walkway will provide a continuous walking route from Whitianga through to the blowhole, south of Hahei Village. Stage two will eventually see a walkway completed through to Hot Water Beach (at this point this section is unfunded but funding will be sought once options for the crossing have been evaluated).

The Coromandel Walks-Cathedral Cove Walkway is an iconic walk, delivering a high quality visitor experience, and therefore proposals are expected to deliver a product or service that aligns with the overall visitor experience. For background information, A copy of the business case for the Cathedral Cove Walkway is available on request or through our website: http://www.tcdc.govt.nz/Download/?file=/Global/TCDC%20Coromandel%20Cathedral%20Coast%20Walkway%20Report%20Miles%20TRC%20Tourism%20v09%2011.13_TCDC01.pdf .

As part of the Coromandel Great Walks project, a new 500 space car park will be constructed in two stages at Lees Road. This will be promoted as the main access to Cathedral Cove, with a new loop walkway linking this car park to the existing Cathedral Cove track. An

Extended car Park facility at Hahei Village,( known as the Village Entrance Car Park)and park and ride service will operate, with Grange road eventually becoming a drop off point only.

Marketing of the new access and parking to Cathedral cove will be undertaken by various tourist partners and information centres, including new road signage as well as information signs and kiosks at key points along the length of the Walkway. Walkers will have the option to walk from Cathedral cove, along Lees Road through Stella Evered reserve, with a crossing providing access all the way through to Whitianga.

It is anticipated that following the completion of the Walks stage 1, a shuttle service will be extended to include the new Lees Road car park, and Purangi Crossing (cooks beach side). Key to this is ensuring pricing and ticketing is co-ordinated, for example with the option for a 24-48 hour shuttle pass system and link this with the car parks at Lees Road, Hahei and Hot Water Beach.

Budget

An initial High level options report is set out in Appendix A; highlighting four main options. We are seeking formal expression of interest for options Two and Three.

Current project budget allows for option one - A tide dependant walk. Currently there is no other budget for a crossing, however a longer term vision is for a board walk around the Purangi and external funding may be sought for this at a later date. - Notwithstanding this, once proposal are received and costs become clearer, there may be scope to fund a crossing either through project contingencies and/or seeking additional funding if needed.

Timing On receipt of this document all proposals must be submitted to Ross Ashby by 30 June 2016-

Project Manager Coromandel Walks C/o Kirstin Richmond - Mercury Bay Area Office.

Once all the EOI's have been reviewed a preferred option will be selected and detailed design and/or scoping will be done in July/August 2016.

It is anticipated that all of the parking infrastructure, and tracks between Whitianga and the blowhole (south of Hahei Village) will be completed by May 2017. Ideally a crossing of the Purangi should be in place on or before 31 May 2017.

Service Levels An all-season crossing is preferred, however the seasonal nature of visitors to the walk is

well understood. At a minimum, peak and shoulder season crossing should be provided between October to May each year. In addition to the business case, Appendix C provides track figures recorded for visitors using the Cathedral Cove Walk (total visitors in 2014 was 158,600 give an overview of visitor numbers and peak periods).

In order provide a high quality service; any proposal should outline how many people can cross at any one time and the limits of the service (if any). Given the expected number of tourists that will eventually walk the walkway, the crossing service should be scalable to accommodate numbers to prevent significant queuing or waiting times.

We will consider all proposals with or without an operator requirement.

Physical location The crossing point needs to take visitors to the track locations either side of the Purangi

Estuary. The distance between the two tracks is approximately 145 Metres, and this distance fluctuates due to the tide.

The Stella Evered reserve on the eastern side of the estuary is managed by The Perpetual Guardian Trust, which provides public access to the reserve. A commercial entity or other could very successfully operate from the true left margin on Crown land, without accessing Stella Evered land. However, equally there could be difficulties during periods of extreme high tides, storm events, medical emergencies where a concessional or other craft may need to be secured above the MHW mark on Stella Evered Land. A working arrangement with the Perpetual Guardian Trust as administrators of the Stella Evered Memorial Park will need to be progressed as part of any proposal, however the trust are in agreement to the crossing in principle - subject to details being worked through.

The western side of the Purangi is Council administered Park Open Space and provides vehicle access and trailer boat parking, toilets, rubbish disposal and a reasonable area of open space. A concession to a successful application could be provided by Council, with the appropriate documentation to operate from this site.

Land Tenure Map

Walking Track Map

Community Views The Purangi estuary is well used by boat operators and people frequently swim and relax at

the park around the area of the crossing. The estuary has a high amenity value and this needs to be considered with any proposal.

Regulation and other Consenting Requirements All proposals must adhere to obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, in

providing workplaces where risks to health and safety are controlled so far as can reasonably be expected. TCDC has a pre-qualification process to help new service providers work through the process in meeting health and safety requirements.

WRC have rules around navigational waterways which must also be adhered to. Commercial operators must meet Maritime NZ requirement under Maritime Operator Safety

System (MOSS) and be certified with Transport Operator certificate (MTOC). WRC consenting - Any structures required that are fixed in, on, under or over any foreshore

or seabed in the Coastal Marine Area require Waikato Regional Council consent. The preference is for minimal structures within the coastal marine area to limit adverse impacts on the estuary. TCDC will work with any preferred candidate through this consenting process.

TCDC Zoning Open Space provides for informal recreation and associate community recreation facility as permitted activity provided it comply with a maximum height of 6m and gross floor area of 50m2. Other rules will apply including earthworks. TCDC will work with any preferred candidate through this consenting process.

There are a number of identified archaeological sites identified along the Purangi estuary. A Heritage New Zealand application may be required if there is earthworks associated with any proposal. TCDC will work with any preferred candidate through this process.

Any structures must comply with building regulations.

Application Requirements The proposals should be realistic and supported by appropriate financial statements and

cost estimates to aid further discussions. Cost estimates need to cover estimated capital costs and maintenance and operational costs

as well as anticipated revenue. Any proposal will be treated with strict confidence, and TCDC is not bound to accept any

proposal received.

Appendix A Purangi Crossing Options

Coromandel Walks - Cathedral Cove Walk - Purangi Crossing

High Level Options Report

Overview

The purpose of this report is to help provide an overview of the issues and options for crossing the Purangi Estuary, which is an integral part of the Coromandel Walks - Cathedral Cove Walkway linking Whitianga to Hahei and the blowhole south of the village.

The report outlines the key issues and a high level options table, which illustrates four initial crossing options and discusses the costs, pros and cons and the related risks for each option. It is intended that the table is used to help the Coromandel Walks Governance Group provide direction on which options to investigate further. It should be noted that the four options presented at this stage are not an exhaustive list and further research through a proposed EOI or RFP process is likely flesh out further viable options for consideration.

Any direction provided by the Governance Board will need to have due consideration of the programme vision (for the provision of a world class tourist destination) while being cognisant of revised project budget and realistic timeframes which includes appropriate staging to ultimately achieve a world class tourist attraction.

The Issues

The business case for the Coromandel Great Walks compiled by Miles Media and TRC Tourism Limited, identified a major tourist trend towards shorter, less demanding day walks. The concept of the Cathedral Cove Walkway capitalises on the Coromandel's existing natural beauty and expands on the existing tourist attraction of Cathedral Cove, by linking a number of destinations and townships through a 14km walk from Whitianga to the Blowhole south of Hahei Village and eventually onto Hot Water beach. The report also recommends supporting infrastructure to address existing tourist issues through the coordination of parking, shuttles and business opportunities.

Crossing the Purangi Estuary is undoubtedly a key part to the walkway, as it will connect the settlements of Whitianga, Cooks Beach, Stella Evered Reserve through to Cathedral Cove, Hahei Village and the blowhole to the south. The ability to cross the Purangi will provide for walking opportunities from the Settlements of Cooks beach and Whitianga, directly to Cathedral Cove, Hahei Village and further south. It also provides opportunities for a day walk from Cathedral Cove and Hahei north through to Whitianga.

Currently, for those who don't mind getting their feet wet, there is a natural path to cross the estuary at low tide. This low tide option combined with appropriate design and signage around

parking as well as an effective tourist education campaign, could adequately address the perceived dead end traffic issues at the end on Lees Road in the short-term.

For those that would prefer not to do a low tide crossing, a number of walks linking destinations could still be achieved without an all tide Purangi crossing, and these walks would still benefit visitors and the local community immensely. However, without some form of all tide crossing these smaller walks would most likely fall short of community expectations and the potential the Cathedral Coast Walkway could achieve.

Funding

The Cathedral Cove Walk project has been funded by TCDC through a district wide rate, as well as a contribution to direct costs from DOC, Grant funding from Lotteries New Zealand and Trust Waikato.

Overall budget available (inclusive of car parking and roading improvement projects) is $3.66M. Best estimates at time of writing, including track construction, estimates for infrastructure, ancillary services such as toilets, design, surveying and consenting costs indicate a potential budget shortfall of just over 10%. This budget shortfall if well managed may not trigger to need to seek additional funding from Council in the short-term, but as the projects progress and the costs become clearer, additional funding may need to be sought in the October revision.

The current budget of $3.66M does not include an allocation for designing, consenting and building an all tide crossing at the Purangi. However, initial investigations indicate that feasible crossing options exist and that funding options can be considered (within or outside) existing project budgets as costs become clearer.

This report provides an initial high level options appraisal, pros cons and risks, and should allow the Governance Board to make an informed decision on the direction to take from here.

Purangi Crossing Options

Option One - Tidal Walkway - Interim Solution

CostCapital

$10-15k

Operational minimal - within operational

Pros Cons

Provides an interesting and unique experience in its own right for those who are slightly adventurous and don't mind getting their feet wet. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels.

Similar walks with Tidal crossings include Abel Tasman and Te Araroa.

Tide Dependant - provides 2-3 hours around low tide before having to go into mangroves/mud

Allowed for within existing budget Limits potential users to those with some sense of adventure

Can be implemented very soon with some minor enhancements to a short section of existing track and requires no property or consenting actions.

Requires tourist marketing, signage and access to tide times

Does not rely on external track specialist contractors to implement - could be done by volunteers and managed by John Gaukrodger

Unlikely to meet community expectations, without a holistic approach to future stages

Risks: - Flooding and strong tidal currents increase risks to users particularly if they try and cross outside recommended timeframes and at crossings other than those identified. Needs thorough review by Health and Safety prior to promoting this walk, including warning signs.

Option Two - Chain or Cable Ferry

CostCapital

$100-$300k

Operational$5k or less

Pros Cons

All Tide - does not rely on propeller driven mechanism that would limit motorised boat ferries to high tides.

Excellent potential to provide an iconic tourist attraction e.g. "Cooks Crossing

May require two structures either end to anchor the chain/cable - consenting may be required.Also may need small jetty and pontoon so that ferry does not get stranded at high tide.Amphibious boat or similar could reduce or eliminate the need for strcutures

Can cope with high sediment loads in Purangi river (propeller driven motors can't and require higher maintenance costs.

May require operator to steer and slow down the boating at the piers at either end depending on final design.

Could be designed to operate without the need for a ferry operator on board or concessions - Likely saving of $60k a year

Requires a custodian/Council to padlock at nights

Low on-going maintenance costs compared to a motorised ferry - ferry operation approx. $30k just for maintenance/fuel/oil (excludes staff related costs). Could be a free or gold coin donation service.

Flooding may cause damage. Pontoon and jetty heights need to accommodate appropriate flooding levels.

Provides a continuous un-interrupted crossing - all year around during daylight hours

Maritime safety and health and safety requirements - floats on roof/ life jackets -

Limited visual impact on harbour and Purangi residents compared with boardwalk structures

No recently built examples - one operational in Clutha, and many more overseas.

Much lower consenting costs than large peers, boardwalks. No property requirements other than basic consultation of adjacent land owners

Unmanaged facility may be subject to vandalism or accidental damage.

Potentially safer than propeller ferry, less noise and better facilitates swimmers/users or Purangi and foreshore

Doesn't create any new jobs for the region

Possibly receive NZTA subsidy or funding from other sources e.g. Captain Cook 250 trust.

Limited visual impact on harbour

Risks: River mechanics and technology unknown until further investigation work undertaken.Iwi may have interest in laying a chain on the seabed.

Option Three - Investigation into other options such as motorised boat or kayak operation

CostCapital$10K - $200KOperational$$1k - $20K+

Pros Cons

Potential Local employment and economic Development opportunity

Seasonal around peak tourist months - may not provide all year round crossing.

Shorter timeframe to have service up and running. Can be run and managed by others.

Not all tide - Motorised boats with propellers are restricted by high tides.

Ability for Council to ensure meeting defined service through SLA's with company.

Limits users to the walkway as not everyone would use kayak to cross

Small commercial operator could provide a kayak service or similar at low cost and create a unique experience.

High Levels of sediment- major maintenance issues for prop driven boats

Limited visual impact on harbour Difficult to operate a motorised crossing and predict bookings and pick up times - inconsistencies may make it unfeasible

May still require structures for loading and unloading

May have to provide subsidies for operator to extend service - increased costs long term.

Risks: Relies on a commercially practical crossing, and could result in increased subsidy requirements. Will need approval from Stella Evered trust for concessions if requred.

Option Four -Wooden Boardwalk structure and bridges around Purangi

CostCapital$600-800 (including consenting costs)

Operational Costs

Pros Cons

An all tide permanent crossing available High capital and maintenance costs - flooding could increase maintenance costs substantially.

A unique attraction in its own right and an added value to the Cathedral Coast Walk

Route takes walkers close to existing houses and may impact on some residents privacy, careful attention to track alignment could mitigate this.

Uncertain outcome through consenting process - could be long and drawn out in environment court

Higher visual impact on harbour than other two options

WRC consenting needed and longer to reach a decision for construction than other options

Risks: Property and Consenting outcomes unknown - long time frames to gain approval, on-going maintenance costs could be high due to flooding.

Recommendations and Timing

Crossing the Purangi in some way will complete the longer section of the walkway and connect Whitianga, Cooks beach to Cathedral Cove and Hahei, completing the first stage of a walkway through to Hot Water Beach.

A tide dependant option to cross the Purangi already exists within existing budget and could be completed very quickly with no consenting or property requirement necessary. This option would require a marketing and tourist strategy to ensure clear understanding, and would go hand in hand with a signage to Lees Road Carpark and Hahei entrance car park.

Further investigation is needed to confirm costs for a cable ferry, but this option could provide a viable crossing that is all tide, all seasons, as well as providing a unique experience or destination in its own right. It is possible that future funding for capital expenditure could be accommodated through project contingencies, or possibly through the Captain Cook 250 trust.

Running expressions of interest and/or an RFP process for crossing the Purangi needs to be run con-currently with continuing the cable ferry and other investigations. This process will help to provide a wider range of potential feasible options which have yet to be conceptualised. It is recommended that further investigations be conducted over the coming months to ensure we have a wide range of options for consideration before seeking final approval for the crossing option.

Future stages such as the Boardwalk option should become part of the longer term options to be funded and progressed once all opportunities have been considers.

The table below sets out possible options and timing:

Short Term (6-12 months)Stage One(Within Budget)

Medium Term (12-24 months)Stage Two(Budget possibly could be catered for within contingency)

longer term (24+months)Stage Three(Unbudgeted - subject to funding and further investigations)

Tidal crossing including small amount of track work and signage

Simple Cable ferry crossing - limited mooring structures - lightweight with ramped access to the beach to accommodate tides

$550-700k boardwalk Purangi Crossing.

Signage/Tourism strategy, parking Bi-law lees Road and design of entrance to Lees Road car park.

Review sustainability of cable ferry or a range the full suite of workable crossing options

Investigate other commercial crossing options (i.e. small boat/kayak etc.

The intent would be to undertake the short term Stage one so that it is completed alongside the car park tracks by summer 2017. Should a decision be made on Short terms stage two, the aim would also be to complete this by summer 2017.