The recently completed Norana Esplanade Path is a 3.6km long shared path that links the Mangere Bridge end of Mahunga Drive to Favona, along the Mangere Harbour coastline.

The project was funded by the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board whose vision was to provide a community asset that encourages people to get outside, be active and enjoy the surrounding natural environment.  The new path provides a safe walking and cycling route that connects existing reserves and traverses the mangrove estuarine environment which was previously inaccessible.

Urban Solutions provided the professional services to deliver the physical works including undertaking the technical supervision and fulfilling the Engineer to the Contract role.  

The project involved the construction of a 3.0m wide concrete shared path. 630m of elevated timber boardwalks, new minor stormwater works, retaining walls, picnic amenity areas and park furniture.

The construction was robust, innovative and low impact on the marine environment.  A 20 Tonne amphibious excavator was used to install the boardwalk and bridge piles.  Its large floating pontoons allowed for working in all tide conditions and it made minimal disturbance to the seabed.  To construct the bridge that crosses the Mangere inlet, a helicopter with a 30m+ winch and lifting strops transported the 14m long glulam beams into position.

Significant amounts of refuse was found all along the coastal edge and throughout the mangroves, including tyres, household rubbish and construction debris.  Asbestos contaminated materials were discovered which required appropriate management.  Risk management, fragment and soil testing, specialist asbestos removalist work and air monitoring were undertaken.

A coastal clean-up day was arranged whereby Sustainable Coastlines representatives, the project team and local volunteers walked amongst the mangroves and through the vegetation adjacent to the path to collect refuse.  The event was a great success.  Over 10,000L of rubbish was collected.  This project has transformed the area and the coastal edge environment is well on its way to be restored.  Regenerative planting and weed species elimination is currently underway and due to be completed by the end of August 2020.

The Norana Esplanade path opened to the public in April 2020, just prior to the COVID-19 alert Level 4 lockdown period.  The path has been well received and widely used by local residents for cycling, exercising, dog walking and generally immersing in the newly accessible natural surrounding environment.