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Oriental Bay sea wall repairs

We’re repairing the historic Oriental Bay sea wall to extend its life and help protect the Oriental Parade promenade for future generations.

About the project

The entire length of the Oriental Bay sea wall from Freyberg Pool to Carlton Gore Road is being repaired over a period of years.

This work will extend the life of the century-old sea wall, helping protect Oriental Parade for future generations.

  • Stage 1: Repair work from Grass Street to Carlton Gore Road in 2021.
  • Stage 2: Repair work from Freyberg Pool to Grass Street in 2022/23.
  • Stage 3: Ground improvement works behind the seawall section from Freyberg Pool to the Band Rotunda in 2024/25.

From April to September 2021 we’ll be filling cracks, removing rusted steel remnants and replacing degraded concrete – all while respecting the wall’s heritage.

No disruption is expected as the footpath is wide enough for repairs to be made without impacting on the promenade or parking.

Background

The Oriental Bay sea wall was constructed from mass concrete between 1920 and 1930. It forms the edge to the Oriental Bay Parade, a popular promenade.

The entire Oriental Bay sea wall has been identified as requiring repair and maintenance to extend its life.

Oriental Parade is a critical route in emergencies so needs to remain operable, as well as being a significant public amenity for recreation.

Historical information

Historic Oriental Bay (257KB PDF)
Urban design for beautification and protection (318KB PDF)
Saving the historic sea wall (662KB PDF)

Progress update

The project completion date has been pushed out to the end of November 2021, as a result of the COVID19 lockdown.

Part of the recently completed repair work to the sea wall included a step where two portions of the wall are misaligned by about 100mm. There is no reason to think it is recent or an active movement area; we believe it is a historic situation, possibly from the original construction.

When the step was viewed on site, the recommendation was to leave it as is as it is part of the story of the wall, as it has been there for so long. Accordingly the wall was tidied with plaster, and the joint between the wall sections opened as per normal.

Work is now underway and progressing well.  Check it out next time you're strolling along Oriental Parade!