Thames-Coromandel District Council (TCDC) showed its gratitude to the army of people involved directly or indirectly with the construction of the new State Highway 25A Kōpū-Hikuai bridge on Friday, December 15 at an event in Thames.

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt held court at the morning tea event at the Thames on Kirkwood, which was hosted by TCDC and New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and attended by councillors, contractors and staff involved in the project.

The event was held straight after a visit to the bridge site by Prime Minister Chris Luxon, Minister of Transport Simeon Brown, Coromandel MP Scott Simpson and Salt, for which they were accompanied by a throng of journalists from national media outlets.

Luxon remarked at a press stand-up that the route was “absolutely critical” to the region.

Also present were interests from local business groups who represent retailers and tourist operators reeling from a massive financial hit off the back of the closure of SH25A and other regional roads which restricted access to the peninsula’s eastern seaboard after being washed away in last summer’s extreme weather events.

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt said having the SH25A route open provides certainty for the Coromandel's economy.

Salt shared that more than $91 million in revenue was lost for local businesses because of this road closure, and said the re-opening of the road will rejuvenate the district.

“Having this route re-open and building more resilience provides certainty for our economy. It will help to alleviate the heightened anxiety our communities have experienced in the past year. It’s resurrected the connectedness of getting to school, to work, to medical/hospital appointments, and visiting friends, family and whānau,” Salt said.

“So many of you have been on this journey through all its ups and downs - it’s been a tough year on so many levels for so many people.”

NZTA chief executive Nicole Rosie said she was well aware of the damage storm events can cause, and likened the plight of the Coromandel’s retailers with that of the situation faced by her father, who ran a small business in Gisborne was affected by extreme weather.

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Rosie said initial discussions concerning the way forward had her remarking, “This is an absolute disaster- I’m not sure how we are going to do this.”

Championing the community-led response from Ngāti Maru and local businesses was beneficial to cutting the red tape and getting the bridge built and commerce flowing again, said Rosie.

“[I said], ’We have to do this fast, get rid of bureaucracy and break down barriers, because there is too much at stake here for New Zealand’.”

“We moved under emergency works so we could move a lot faster - we were able to close the road which made a big difference [with respect to] being able to operate 24/7, and we took fresh materials from the bridge in Tauranga and brought them over here, allowing things to move fast.”

Nicole Rosie said in initial discussions, she remarked, “This is an absolute disaster - I’m not sure how we are going to do this.”

“Everyone just worked really well together - there was no arguing.”

Coromandel MP Scott Simpson said, “What a wonderful day and Christmas and summer we are all going to have. And we will have that because heaven and Earth have been moved to get our highway open again.” He then acknowledged the work of the ”remarkable people” involved in the project.

Salt then closed the meeting, but not before delivering a line of cautious optimism.

“We have a lot of work still ahead of us, but I am encouraged we are on the right path.”