28 February 2002

Tony Lines, Lyall Bay Reef Trust chairman, today announced that Bay 66 Bar and Café of Kilbirnie, through NZ Community Trust, has made a grant of $2000 towards the resource consent process for a reef to be constructed at Lyall Bay.

"We are really pleased that Bay 66 and NZ Community Trust can see the tremendous benefits the reef will bring to the Wellington region" said Tony Lines.

"While the amount is modest it demonstrates that the reef is recognised as a viable project worthy of support. We have made a number of grant applications and are hopeful other organisations will also see the value of the reef as an amenity to be enjoyed by all ages for the next 40 years or so."

"There are a number of initiatives being planned to raise the profile of the reef project, and secure the funding to make it happen.The next is a beach clean of Lyall Bay which the Trust is sponsoring on 23 March "

Wellington City Council has promised to meet 75 percent of the cost of the resource consent process up to a maximum of $100,000.The Trust estimates the process will cost around $185,000

"It is great that financial support is starting to come through because we need to raise around $50,000 from the community, before we can access any of the Council's $100,000.We also need the Council to roll that funding commitment into the forthcoming Annual Plan if we have not pick the money up before 30 June"

The Lyall Bay Reef Trust has been working for the past 18 months to build a reef at Lyall Bay that will produce waves that can be used by surfers, boogie boarders, kayakers, windsurfers and surf-lifesavers and swimmers. Over time the reef will attract plant life,fish and then divers as well.

It will have a dual benefit of increasing the beach to an expected width of 80m opposite Kingsford Smith Drive where there are currently no dunes and where sand has been largely stripped by storms like that on Waitanga Day.

The Trust recently awarded a tender( conditional on securing funding) to a consortium made up of ASR, Boffa Miskell and Montgomery Watson Hazza, who will collate and manage the significant amount of information and carry out the consultation necessary to comply with the Resource Management Act.

In 2000, Wellington City Council granted the Trust funding to complete a feasibility study, which found that a reef would lift by up to 115 days the number of annual surfing days at Lyall Bay . The reef could generate economic benefits of up to $30 for every $1 invested and would also provide significant erosion protection for the beach.

"Wellington City Council have been very supportive of the project and we hope they will continue this support in the next annual plan funding round," said Tony Lines.

ENDS

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