New Bridge and Trails Upgrade Waitekohekohe Recreational Park

Walkers and cyclists visiting Waitekohekohe Recreational Park near Katikati now have an easier time of it, thanks to a newly installed bridge over Waitekohe Stream. The crossing connects Thompson's Track to Lund Road, meaning people no longer need to get their feet wet — and it also opens up a network of walking tracks through native bush.

The bridge is one of several improvements being driven by the Katikati Recreational Park Development Group (KKRPDG), which has managed the 87.982-hectare reserve since it opened in March 2023. Western Bay of Plenty District Council is the group's major partner, contributing staff expertise and close to $1 million over five years to develop the park into a mountain biking, horse-riding and bush-walking destination for the wider district.

A $60,000 grant from TECT will fund two new mountain bike tracks on the Lund Road side of the park, though a track builder isn't available until April 2026. The same funding will also create an accessibility trail on the Thompson's Track side, designed for people using adaptive bikes or living with a disability. Founding member Jacqui Knight noted that around 10 percent of the community lives with a disability, making accessible trails an important priority.

Looking further ahead, KKRPDG and the Katikati Trails Group — both sitting under the KatchKatikati umbrella — are working towards a Northern Kaimai Loop that would link the Hauraki Rail Trail through to Katikati and back, potentially creating a two-to-three-day bike ride. Landowner approvals are being sought along Willoughby Road and Woodland Road to make the loop a reality.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).