Bollard placement ‘beggars belief’

The bollards are now in place on The Esplanade at Manly Beach, but one local resident says where they have been put ‘beggars belief’.

The bollards, between Manly Sailing Club and Cross Street, were designed to protect severely eroded areas of the dunes, and the roots of Pohutukawa trees, from further damage caused by heavy vehicles parking on them, particularly in summer.

The $45,000 plan was controversial because of the numbers who like to park right by the beach and after public consultation, a compromise was reached which reduced the number of bollards and aimed to still provide some parking, while protecting the berm from further erosion.

A report by Council staff, presented to the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board for approval, back in July, said that the bollards would be placed where there is the most damage to the dunes, and to limit parking on the tree roots.

The Hibiscus & Bays Local Board approved the new plan and the bollards were recently installed.

However, the bollards have not been placed around damaged areas – these have been left for parking. Instead, they have been placed around trees in steeper areas where no-one parked.

Manly resident Wayne Unkovich, says this placement misses the main point, which was to protect the dunes from increased erosion.

“I can’t imagine what they were thinking – a total waste of money,” Unkovich says.

Auckland Council head of area operations, Julie Pickering would not comment on this feedback, but instead pointed to a press release from Council dated July which says most of the parking has been kept in areas where the damage is not so extensive.

Pickering says ground stabilisation work and height adjustments of the bollards in some areas, is still being completed this month.

Council staff will monitor the impact on car parking in The Esplanade and surrounding streets once installation is complete. They will review the parking situation if required.