Issue date
The ribbon was cut on a new wharf on the west side of the Otago Harbour on Sunday 1 December. In the 14 August 2013 edition of Briefings an article appeared about the new piles being driven to herald the start of construction of the long awaited new wharf for the Burkes St Leonard’s Boating Club. Now it is pleasing to follow up with another article about the successful completion of the project.
An unusual bleak and blustery day for Otago greeted a 50 strong group of locals to witness the Club’s oldest member, Life Member Ruby Marr (93 years), cut the ribbon and declare the wharf open for business. This was followed by an opportunity for a group of the local kids to do the first official jump off into the balmy harbour waters.
The previous wharf had suffered from broken piles and had been condemned by engineers. For two years the Club sought funding to complete the project and was able to secure the services of Port Otago to supply piles and the means to drive them in.
This new wharf is double pile, in contrast to the previous single pile structure, which should help it withstand the rigours of strong tidal flows and the wash of ships heading up the channel to Dunedin.
The project has been accomplished through the hard work of Commodore Barry Whipp, and his small team of dedicated members. Along with their enthusiasm they have been assisted financially by funders: The Southern Trust, Otago Community Trust, Alexander McMillan Trust, Bendigo Valley Foundation and the Poker Run Powerboat Group.
To get the project over the finish line the Club went into the local neighbourhood selling wooden planks at $20.00 each which would go toward the decking of the wharf. This aspect of the project has helped reconnect the Club with its local community and has resulted in a renewed growth of interest. Barry Whipp is certain that this will flow into the Club’s Learn to Sail activities on Sunday mornings.
Like a lot of areas around the country the Otago Harbour Clubs are often left to maintain these structures that are far more than just a Club asset. They are very much a public amenity and supply places for kids to fish from, jump off from, passing pleasure boats to tie up to and what’s more they just look good in a traditional kind of way adding to the vista of the local harbour scene. Often it is these wharves that appear in much well composed commercial photography around the harbour.
The financial burden of these sort of projects are often left up to small local clubs to fund and the club is thankful for the support of the community and trusts. The Burkes St Leonard’s Boating Club saw the rebuilding of the wharf as not only necessary for their current activities but also their gift to the next generation that will come along.
This Sunday just gone by saw a small group of parents standing on the outer end of the wharf watching their kids learning to sail in the Club Optimists.
Work continues at the Club as they rebuild their wooden ramps and add the finishing touches of a toe rail and completion of the hand rail to the new wharf.
At the Opening Ceremony Port Chalmers Yacht Club member Graeme Hoskins said; “with the wharf now completed there was once again the opportunity for yachts from other clubs to be able to visit for racing and have somewhere to tie up to.”
