Wanganui Rotary Westmere Walkway

A new walkway proposed for Wanganui will offer views out across the city and as far up and down the coast as Waverley and Kapiti Island. Farmer Hugh Reid (second from left) is to allow access to part of his farm in the Aramoho area. While some farmers actively discourage public use of their property, Wanganui's Hugh Reid is planning to make some of his land accessible for a new walkway. His farm borders the city and he is used to quietly fixing up damage caused by strangers and roaming dogs. But it hasn't put him off. "If you start banning people you creae antagonism. If I meet people more than halfway then there's the thought that they might be nice to me as well."

Mr Reid is a member of the Rotary Club of Wanganui. He went to the club about two years ago offering to have a public walkway of about 5 km across part of his property. The walkway would start from Kelvin St, ascend on to a plateau, drop dowm a boggy valley and enter Matipo park, a Wanganui District Council reserve. It would be a club project.

Mr Reid said his land offered great views and could be the start of a longer walk that traversed Westmere Scenic reserve and perhaps even skirt the city to meet up with the Whanganui River walkway at Castlecliff.

Peter Brown of the Rotary Club of Wanganui said the club was keen to take on the project and the council had agreed to be the controlling authority. Advice would also be taken from the Conservation Department.

"We are currently working through the process to have the walkway formalised under the Walkways Act. Once those formalities have been put in place the Club will get on with the real work"

If money was needed, Mr Brown said, fundraising could be provided. Some labour could be provided by student groups and some materials could be donated.

The "real work" would be putting in track markers, signs, a boardwalk across a small stream amd forming a track.

The route would be a figure eight with one leg in Matipo park which has been logged and neglected in the past, and another one on Mr Reid's property. At Matipo Park walkers would have the option of exiting onto Brunswick Road.