New Pedestrian and Cycling Bridge over river

The Team from Momentum Waikato

The Government announcement below for new infrastructure funding is great news for the Hamilton CBD, congratulations to the Hamilton City Council.

It is particularly pleasing that this intensification funding means the Pedestrian and Cycling Bridge across the river will get built.

We played a key role in getting the bridge project to this point, something we haven't previously promoted publicly.

In 2020 Momentum Waikato partnered with Rotary Clubs of Hamilton, led in this by Don Law and John Gallagher, to commission and then work with Beca to produce the Concept Development Report required to get the bridge formally into the Hamilton City Council Long-Term Plan.

The project team engaged with Te Haa o te Whenua o Kirikiriroa, Bike Waikato, Living Streets Hamilton, Te Awa The Great NZ River Ride, Waikato Regional Council and various HCC folks to identify the best location for the new span - from the north side of the Waikato Museum | Te Whare Taonga o Waikato to the south end of Memorial Park - and the immediate factors to consider in the various engineering options.

That report was gratefully received by the Mayor and Councillors and development of the bridge project was subsequently budgeted into the Long-Term Plan.

We then stepped away, having completed our part. The proposal always required central government funding of some kind, the HCC itself subsequently added the bridge to its application to central government for funding for intensification infrastructure. The Rotary Clubs of Hamilton intend to fundraise for the added cost of making sure the bridge is designed to be a spectacular icon for Kirikiriroa-Hamilton.

This is an example of Momentum Waikato fulfilling its role as a community leadership foundation, using the flexibility of our mission and credibility of our purpose and track record to light the spark needed to make things happen.

We connect and convene in the community, sometimes funding key process steps not covered by others' remits, bridging the gap between the state and business to create 'three P' partnerships - Public-Private-Philanthropic. Always apolitical and non-partisan, because we are working for everyone.

Hope to see you on the new bridge the day it opens.

For a Better Waikato, for everyone, forever.