Future looking bright for Far North communities

Plans to install solar lighting at three locations in the Far North were approved by the Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board at its February meeting.

The first site will be at Marino Court in Kaikohe next to the EV charging station which is an area of the town that is busy with both traffic and pedestrians. The installation is expected to take place within the 2024/25 financial year.

The second location will be at the Ōmāpere Freese Park playground. The area currently has no lighting, and the lights will benefit the nearby carpark as well as the playground. Work to install this will take place in the 2025/26 financial year.

The third site is on the Ōpononi walkway at the Fairlie Crescent end and is earmarked for the 2026/27 financial year. Plans are already underway to install bollards and other measures to prevent vehicle access to the walkway. The location for the lights will be decided once the other works are completed.

All the lights for the three areas will be LED solar which is significantly cheaper than mains lighting. The solar operates independent of the grid, avoids costly infrastructure, and is sustainable with minimal maintenance costs. The life of the lights is estimated to be about 50,000 hours.

The specific locations of the lights will be determined onsite by the contractor and project manager, with input from nearby residents where necessary.

Read the full report here or watch the February meeting of the Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board here.

Pictured: New solar lights will be installed at Marino Court in Kaikohe near the EV charging station.