Council urged to replace Maitai ford
The concrete ford spanning the Maitai River has been removed and a family hopes to drum up community support to get it replaced.
The ford was dismantled to allow fish to swim upstream as part of the council’s Project Maitai to improve the river’s health.
Nicky McLeod, who lives nearby, said that the crossing was well used by residents, families, mountainbikers, and walkers to get across to the Maitai Track for a beautiful and safe route into town.
She backed the council taking the ford away, but wants to garner support to make sure a new bridge is put in.
‘‘I really don’t want to sound like I’m complaining,’’ Nicky said. ‘‘I’m really supportive of them doing what they need to do to get the river healthier.’’
The council consulted to find out how heavily it was being used and whether or not a replacement was warranted — and they assumed the ford would be replaced, she said.
‘‘We very emphatically said: ‘We love it, we use it all the time, it’s a big part of our life’.’’
Without the ford they had to travel about 2km upstream to the pipe bridge above the Maitai Campground, or 1km downstream to Gibbs Bridge.
‘‘You get logging trucks on this road, so we don’t really like the kids on there.’’
She understood the council might be looking at turning a paddock into a reserve and putting a bridge over the river about 400m up from the old ford and supported that.
‘‘If the community can show that we really care about this and would really like a way to get across the Maitai halfway up, then that would help. Please support he proposal to replace the ford with a bridge and open up that paddock to the public.’’
The council said it consulted widely on the ford’s removal and had public support.