The district council has approved, in principle, the building of a cycle trail shelter on the former site of Thames’ Captain Cook Monument – at a fee of $1.
Back in June, 2021, Thames-Coromandel District Council approved a Licence to Occupy for the Hauraki Rail Trail Charitable Trust to build a cycle shelter on road reserve at Pakura Close, Kōpū.
Since then, no action has been taken by the trust, as the site of the original proposed shelter had been identified as a potential site for the position of a temporary shipping container “store” – to be used by the Kōpū Bridge and Community Trust in restoring the old Kōpū Bridge.
However, following the removal of the monument to British explorer Captain James Cook by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, the Hauraki Rail Trail Trust has requested that the proposed shelter be relocated to that position.
“Do you foresee there might be any push-back from our… ratepayers, residents?” Councillor Martin Rodley asked group manager operations Bruce Hinson.
“I’m really not much of a betting man, but who knows which way that could go, there’s always risk,” he replied.
The Captain Cook monument was built in 1941 as part of the 100th Treaty of Waitangi celebrations, but was only installed at its former Kōpū site in 2020.
It was vandalised beyond repair in 2021 and was removed from Kōpū in October, 2022.
The rail trail shelters are a joint project between the trust and Rotary clubs from Te Aroha, Matamata, Thames, Morrinsville, and Paeroa.
The partnership will see 16 shelters erected along the network, and according to a council report, the site near Kōpū Bridge is still within road reserve and poses no safety issues.
Thames-Coromandel District councillors therefore approved that a Licence to Occupy be granted to the Hauraki Rail Trail Charitable Trust to erect and maintain a cycle trail shelter on the public road reserve at Kōpū Bridge, Thames.
It comes with a term of 99 years, a $1 fee, and a Special Condition Licence which is terminable with six-months’ notice.
The Captain Cook monument was built in 1941 as part of the 100th Treaty of Waitangi celebrations, but was only installed at its former Kōpū site in 2020. FILE PHOTO
Cycle trail shelter approved at old monument site
