Pāpāmoa Shared Pathway

Key features of the shared pathway

The 3km asphalt pathway will make walking and cycling safer next to Pāpāmoa Beach Road and further enhances this reserve space.

During consultation, the community requested a sealed path to better meet the needs of a wide range of people, including children with scooters, people using wheelchairs, and people with roller blades. Asphalt is a commonly used material for sealed footpaths and is smooth service for people on wheels. It is highly durable and there are no health risks to the public, or to the environment, due to the material used. Other materials such as concrete and boardwalk have been used in rest areas and access ways.

The pathway provides ample width, with the 3.5m wide pathway designed to fit two people going each way. There are rest areas along the way and picnic tables at the two larger reserve areas.

The pathway will feature signage that shares the stories and history of mana whenua giving people the opportunity to reconnect and engage with this area of cultural significance. Artwork along the Pāpāmoa shared pathway was designed by Te Kapu O Waitaha and Ngā Pōtiki. The patterns have been placed along the pathway to identify beach accesses.

A whakataukī about Niho Taniwha, a kaitiaki (guardian), and a symbol of guardianship, trust and protection was the inspiration for both designs which serve as a reminder that we should all be considerate of one another when we’re using the shared path. Ngā Pōtiki's design is shown below on the left. Te Kapu O Waitaha’s design (pictured below-right) is based on Te Ara Moana which means pathways to the sea, waterways to many destinations.

Bringing this reserve space to life will support the ecological balance of the dunes while also connecting the community. The project will happen over two stages and outlined below are the details of each stage.

You might have noticed that the path looks like it comes to an end at the ‘pinch point’ on Pāpāmoa Beach Road, near Alexander Place. We want to reassure you that this is just temporary! Council is investigating an alternative route over the dunes which is why we have created a temporary section near the ‘pinch point’, to connect the path back to the road.

The dunes are ecologically protected, and we are currently waiting on consent and permissions to ensure we protect the area and fauna that live here.

A lizard management plan has been presented to the Department of Conservation, who are reviewing this and consulting with iwi.

We aim to have completed the new permanent route through the dunes by summer 2024.

Stage one features:

• Pathway between Pāpāmoa Domain and Parton Road Beach access.
• New public toilets in the open space area (Activity Hub) opposite Parton Road as well as a drinking fountain and seating.
• Pedestrian crossing points on Pāpāmoa Beach Road, located near Douglas Place, Alexander Place and Grant Place to facilitate safer walking and cycling.
• Signage that tells some of the history of the area.
• Some additional features as guided by community feedback (limited due to budget).

Stage two features: (subject to funding)

• Pathway from Parton Road to Taylor Reserve
• Lookout areas
• Further upgrades to the facilities and amenities along the full pathway (as guided by community feedback)

Looking to the future

The Pāpāmoa Shared Pathway masterplan provides a vision for the reserve and considers key access areas and opportunities to link up to a network of shared paths and cycleways in the area and wider region.

Funding has been secured for Stage one, while all other proposals in the masterplan will be conditional to funding in Stage two. Community feedback will also guide the direction of this masterplan and future investment decisions.

Protecting our dunes

While investing in the coastal reserve, we also want to support our dune restoration work, alongside Coast Care.

As part of the pathway’s construction, ground planting with native dune species will be included to support the restoration of the dunes. This will not only support the ecology of the dunes, but also encourage the public to use existing formal paths through the dunes and discourage the creation of new paths.

The dunes are a significant ecological area, and in addition to hosting some rare plant species, they also protect our Pāpāmoa community as the climate changes and sea levels rise.

The dunes hold significant importance to Ngā Pōtiki and Waitaha iwi, who have collected food, played, and battled over these dunes for the last 700 years.

Resources

Document library

• Pāpāmoa shared pathway masterplan (9.3mb pdf)
• Pāpāmoa shared pathway concept design (6.4mb pdf)
• Pāpāmoa shared pathway - survey report (369kb pdf)
• Pāpāmoa shared pathway - final design (14mb pdf)