Nadi Town Council plans to protect popular picnic spot
Hopefully some action will be taken now, sooner the better...
Nadi residents who picnic and take time out at the popular Wailoaloa beach have observed the slow erosion of the beach area.
The three-quarter mile beach is the only public beach for those in the Jet Set town.
Residents like sports administrator, Bobby Tikaram, are among those who’ve raised their concerns with relevant authorities recently. He said the beachfront was in a “worrying state and there was a need to do something about it urgently, otherwise, the shoreline will keep encroaching.
“This is the state of our Wailoaloa picnic spot – the authorities need to plan now before we lose it altogether. Maybe a seawall similar to the one in Marine Drive in Lautoka or the one at My Suva Park in Nasese will be the answer,” he said. “Hopefully, some action will be taken now, sooner the better. It is important action must be taken now before we lose more metres of valuable prime land.”
valuable prime land.” Mr Tikaram pointed to climate change as the cause. A former Nadi resident Vinod Chetty, who resides in Canada, said, projects like Wailoaloa should be undertaken as a national focus, so beaches, parks, and recreational areas throughout the country, which is where locals go to enjoy quality time with their families are kept in good order, with toilet facilities and benches.
A meeting on Wednesday chaired by the Nadi and Sigatoka special administrator Adish Naidu was attended by at least 20 climate champions in Nadi. Mr Naidu said the town council would put a master plan together for the Wailoaloa beach stretch.
“We have agreed to draw out a master-plan for the whole picnic area including a sea wall that would help the foreshore from further destruction,” he said. Mr Naidu said when the masterplan is ready it will be presented to all the stakeholders at a special public meeting and further consultation.
Nadi residents like Leena Punja and Parmesh Chand are ready to be involved in the project.