Slipway Inadequate’ for increasing use

Press, 8 September 1989, Page 5

Slipway Inadequate’ for increasing use

By

PAM MORTON

The public slipway at Lyttelton is inadequate to cope with the growing number of small boats using the harbour, says a local boat owner, Mr Daniel Visser. The three-lane slipway at Naval Point was often reduced to one lane because tidal changes made the other two lanes inaccessible to boats, he said. Mr Visser has drawn a plan for the development of the Naval Point area which he believes, will

meet all the needs of small-boat owners. The plan has been submitted to the Lyttelton Borough Council for consideration' at its next meeting. Mr Visser said the slipway needed to be extended to six lanes. Floating jetties could be built on either side to allow for simple loading and unloading of passengers. A floating tyre breakwater would protect the slipway from the south-westerly wind. “Floating jetties are very popular overseas,” he said.

“In the harbour basin we have nowhere where you can put people down without them getting their feet wet.” Floating jetties could be provided at Quail Island, Purau Bay, Diamond Harbour, Church Bay and Port Levy for visiting boats.

Mr Visser said it made sense to have a repair workshop in the vicinity and shops providing boat or sailing equipment. The plan calls for the subdivision of land between the slipway and Coastguard headquarters to

provide areas for boat storage, lock-up garages and workshops, a boat sales yard, a floating fuel station, rental facilities and food stores.

The Lyttelton Town Clerk, Mr Gary Broker, said the plan would be looked at by the council. It was unlikely it would go very far with it, ! however, because it was going out of existence next month.

The land will pass to the new Banks Peninsula District Council.