CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2017 CCNZ / HIREPOOL
CATEGORY 1B: Projects with a value of less than $5 million (Company turnover greater than $10 million) PROJECT: Access to Water Construction Works. CONTRACTOR: HEB Construction
Safe waterfront access Cities worldwide are reinventing their hearts and Tauranga is no exception. Tauranga City Council is working hard to plan how its city centre will look and feel to be competitive in the future, and is investing $8 million over the next five years to improve the streetscape, waterfront and open spaces in the heart of the city to make the city centre a “vibrant and attractive place to live, work, learn and play”. In December 2015, following feedback from the community, Tauranga City councillors gave the green light to the $2.8 million project to construct new tidal stairs, a pier and a pontoon at Tauranga’s waterfront. The main goal of this was to enhance the public space and connect the public with the Tauranga waterfront by physically gaining safe access to the water. In January 2016, the detailed design stage of the project began and in October Tauranga City Council appointed HEB Construction (HEB) as civil works contractor for the construction of the new tidal stairs, pier and pontoon. HEB’s Structures Division was headquartered in Mount Maunganui.
The tidal stairs needed to stretch about 50 metres along the downtown harbour waterfront and the project also involved a walkway and surrounding parks; a 30-metre long pier into the harbour; and the design and construction of a 24-metre long, three-metre wide floating pontoon accessed via a 16-metre long aluminium gangway. HEB’s role as main contractor involved all piling works, installation of the pier, pontoon and precast units, concrete and timber works, precast concrete manufacture, transportation of oversized loads and all associated earthworks. Construction of the Access to Water Project began in October 2016. HEB and the council worked closely during the construction phase. On April 11, 2017 the completed new tidal stairs, pier and pontoon were ‘blessed’, followed by a free community event and official opening on May 6, 2017. HEB is also the civil works contractor on Tauranga’s Marine Precinct project. These two projects are well aligned and have significant synergies, enabling HEB to achieve economies of scale. l
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