Tuesday 22 September 2009

Community celebrates opening of newly sealed roads

The sun was shining, motorbike engines roaring and the locals turned out in force to witness one of their own long-standing residents help officially open the newly sealed Karoro Creek and Ahuriri Flat roads on Saturday.

Rona Williamson assisted Deputy Prime Minister and Local MP Bill English to cut the ribbon to open the newly sealed roads connecting her home township of Kaka Point with the Owaka Highway and The Catlins.
Shortly after, dozens of motorcyclists from the Penguin Rally, based at the nearby Willsher Bay Domain, roared through the ribbon-cutting site to become the first motorists to ‘officially’ enjoy the new seal.  

Mrs Williamson herself was also more than game enough to take a brief ride on the back of motorcycle enthusiast John Hasler’s bike  before the congregation adjourned to the Kaka Point Community Hall for speeches and afternoon tea.

Mr English acknowledged Council’s persistence in getting the project completed and said the newly sealed roads would be a great asset for Kaka Point and the wider community. 

Mrs Williamson said she was delighted with the final result of the sealing and that driving over corrugations and dodging potholes on the way to The Catlins was now nothing more than a memory.

The $1.65 million sealing project was funded with assistance from the Regional ‘R’ Fund, made available by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) through the extra 5c fuel tax which has been levied per litre of fuel sold since 2005.

Through the fund, NZTA pays about $1.16m of the total project cost. The remaining $0.49m is funded by Council by way of a loan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Local MP Bill English and long-standing Kaka Point resident Rona Williamson open the newly sealed Karoro Creek and Ahuriri Flat roads while Clutha Mayor Juno Hayes looks on.

Mr English, Mrs Williamson and motorcyclist John Hasler.