The Kāpiti Coast District Council is progressing work to investigate the feasibility of building a Kāpiti Island Gateway Centre at Paraparaumu Beach.
Economic Development Manager Darryn Grant says Kāpiti Island is an internationally famed nature reserve protecting some of New Zealand's most endangered birds.
“The 1965-hectare island is one of the few relatively accessible island nature reserves in the country and is one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent sites for bird recovery.
“The Paraparaumu Boating Club carpark and the adjoining Maclean Park form the gateway to Kāpiti Island and it is important that there is infrastructure, processes and systems in place to protect and enhance access to this unique visitor experience.”
“Through our 2018-38 Toitū Kāpiti long-term plan we signalled that we would progress work to investigate the viability of a Kāpiti Island Gateway Centre and we’re now in a positon to do this work,” said Mr Grant.
Improving the Kāpiti Island departure point and providing an iconic visitor experience has been a discussion point for many years. More recently, it has come up in conversation about the redevelopment of Maclean Park and opportunities for Kāpiti to secure funding from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund.”
Mr Grant says the feasibility study will be used to assist future discussion with partners and the community, and decision making about the form and function of a potential Gateway building and where it could be located.
“No decisions have been made. The study will help inform next steps.”
-KCDC