ANIMAL FUN: Ruby Hosking, 11, takes her furry friend Monty for a paddleboard ride during a public give it a go session in New Plymouth’s Breakwater Bay. Photo: Supplied
Kevin Hosking of Shorebreak Paddleboards is inviting the public to come and have a go.
“Come on down, enjoy the fun and get fit for summer,” he said.
Fortnightly races will be held starting Wednesday October 9 at Ngamotu Beach in New Plymouth.
For newbies there will be a fun short course race of 1km and a longer course of 3km for the more adventurous.
Mr Hosking will have some boards available for hire at a cost of $10 per race or bring your own.
Contact him at Shorebreak Paddleboards 0800 2782 6387.
This article was published in the North Taranaki Midweek on Wednesday October 9, 2013.
Winter picnic: Fish and chips are the order of the day as Talen Blake, 11, Meadow Smith, 7 and James Rouse enjoy a winter picnic at the newly upgraded Ngamotu Beach facilities. Photo: By Sharyn Smart
A $310,000 upgrade of facilities at Ngamotu Beach is winning favour with regulars and visitors at the New Plymouth reserve.
New Plymouth man James Rouse says the new picnic tables are great.
“The picnic tables are a great place to eat lunch on a perfect sunny day,” he said, as he ate fish and chips with and Talen Blake, 11, Meadow Smith, 7.
“In my teenage years I visited the beach regularly and have enjoyed coming back, from many years away, to see all the new facilities now available.”
A year-long upgrade has recently been completed thanks to a partnership between Port Taranaki and the New Plymouth District Council.
NPDC manager parks Mark Bruhn said council had contributed $276,500 towards the park’s upgrade.
In the past the toilet block had quite a reputation of being one of the worst toilet blocks in New Plymouth – but not any more.
The council have enlarged and upgraded the toilet block. The major addition being two new cubicles added to the women’s section.
The toilet block is now wheelchair friendly and a designated handicap parking bay nearby has been created.
The beach’s picnic tables have all been replaced which this time around have been built on concrete pads.
Port Taranaki spokeswoman Bronwyn Clement said the company had contributed about $33,000 towards the upgrade.
It had replaced three wooden access ramps with concrete ramps and steel handrails making access to Ngamotu Beach easier for the public.
All the seats at the beach have been refurbished or replaced and a beach shower installed at the eastern end of the reserve. A kayak wash area has also been built with some of the cost being covered by Canoe and Kayak.
