Saga slows O¯ piki Bridge repairs
Historic bridge’s ownership now finally settled
The O¯ piki Bridge, since 2013 a category one historic place, is what remained of a large flax mill, called the Tane Hemp Mill. Situated in farmland formed after a swamp was drained, the bridge shortened the trip to the train station until a disease killed off the flax industry in the early 1920s.
It was owned and operated by the Akers and Seiffert families as a toll bridge until 1969, when the building of State Highway 56 put an end to the need for it.
The planks of the bridge were removed some time afterwards and the bridge has been ailing ever since.
Uncertainty over ownership and who should pay for the upkeep left the bridge in limbo until in 2013 Heritage New Zealand (then called the Historic Places Trust) decided to declare the bridge a heritage site. Not that that improved the state of things.
The historic O¯ piki Bridge has been in the news since its cables collapsed into the river a few weeks ago, obstructing the flow of any traffic on the water.
Amidst clean-up attempts, the issue of ownership arose, because whose job was it to sort it out? Ownership was not a question for Heritage New Zealand, who put the ball in the court of the regional council. Horizons were more than a little surprised to be named as its owners, media reports show.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga said it only manages the New
Zealand Heritage List Ra¯rangi Ko¯rero. “The list is a recognition tool and a professionally-researched and documented record of Aotearoa New Zealand’s
historical and cultural placebased heritage,” Heritage New Zealand’s Adrienne Hannan said.
“Listing does not result in Heritage
New Zealand Pouhere Taonga having any form of control, responsibility, or ownership over those places included in the list.
“Our expert conservation and listing advisers advocate for the maintenance and preservation of heritage places and can provide advice to owners of listed places. This advice can extend to assisting with the development of short- or longterm conservation plans and providing advice and feedback on planned works.
“This free expert advice service is available to the owners of the O¯ piki Bridge.
“Like any property, owners of listed places are responsible for the safety and upkeep of their places. Inclusion on the list does not alter this responsibility.”
Horizons, as the body responsible for all waterways in the region, has already stepped up to try to sort the issue, with the help of many others.
“Since cables from the historic bridge near O¯ piki fell into the Manawatu¯ River in September, Horizons Regional Council has been working with various interested parties to ensure the site is safe for river users. As the cables are still in the awa, we ask people to continue to avoid the area,” the council’s group manager catchment operations John Roygard said.
He said the ownership issue has now been sorted, clearing the way to fix this, though no one knows yet what that might mean.
“While Horizons has not previously considered itself owner of the bridge, subsequent inquiries have shown Horizons owns the bridge as well as the land surrounding it.
“With ownership now clear, Horizons can continue working to produce options to make the area safe. Options will then be discussed with Pouhere Taonga Heritage New Zealand and others involved before any work commences,” Roygard said.