- Aotea Lagoon
Infobox lake
lake_name = Aotea Lagoon
image_lake = Aotea_Lagoon,Porirua,NZ_from_north-east.jpg
caption_lake = A view of Aotea Lagoon from the north-east: Pipitea miniature railway station across the lagoon, State Highway 1, North Island Main Trunk Railway and Porirua Harbour to the right, Porirua city centre in the background.
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location =North Island
coords = coord|41|7|12|S|174|51|25|E|type:waterbody_region:NZ|display=inline,title
type = artificiallagoon
inflow =Porirua Harbour and stormwater drains
outflow = Porirua Harbour
catchment =
basin_countries = New Zealand
length =
width =
area = 5 ha Porirua City Council (1994), p.1.]
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore = 732 m
elevation = sea level
islands =
cities =Papakowhai Aotea Lagoon is an artificial
lagoon andpublic park , covering 7 ha, inPapakowhai , North Island,New Zealand .The lagoon formed when transport links were realigned from the natural coastline to land reclaimed fromPorirua Harbour .Hydrology
Aotea Lagoon is tidal. The
culvert , from Porirua Harbour,Porirua City Council (1994), p.40. Water Quality section.] enters the lagoon under the modelwindmill .Porirua City Council (1994), p.7.] Three stormwater drains flow into the lagoon,two from the east and one from the south-east under thepier .The lagoon's "water body receives limited flushing and aeration" and "little can be done to improve water quality without extensive engineering works."
History
Between
1958 and1961 acauseway was built in Porirua Harbour to realigntheNorth Island Main Trunk Railway .Porirua City Council (1994), pp.4-7. History section containing aerial photographs of the rail causeway and lagoon under construction.] Running north-east from the city centre toParemata ,the causeway cut straight across three bays turning them into lagoons:
* southern - south of the Gear Homestead headland
* central - that became Aotea Lagoon
* northern - north of the headland where Thurso Grove now stands, around Papakowhai ReserveTo realign State Highway 1 inland of the railwaythe lagoons were partly filled with material from the
Ministry of Works and Development's local earthworks.These included the central lagoon's eastern and southern neighbours:theRoyal New Zealand Police College andWhitford Brown Avenue.The Ministry and local service clubs transformed the area around the central lagoon into a public park that opened in1980 ,Porirua City Council took over the park in1994 .cite web
last = Porirua City Council
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = History of Aotea Lagoon
work =
publisher = Porirua City Council
date =
url = http://www.pcc.govt.nz/web_frameset.asp?pageID=100033816&id=&link=yes
format =HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2008-03-23 Abridged from Porirua City Council (1994), History section, pp.4-7 (see above).]Facilities
The park's centerpiece is the lagoon and its perimeter path used for walking and running.
South-west of the lagoon is Pipitea Station on the ¼ scale Aotea
ridable miniature railway thatfeatures an 833 m long track,Canterbury Society of Model and Experimental Engineers (2002), p.2.] two bridges and a tunnel.Built and operated by theWaitangirua Lions, the train runs:Other facilities clockwise from the north-east:
* adventureplayground
* fencedduck pond crossed by aboardwalk , connected to the lagoon by aweir
* island in the lagoon reached by afootbridge
*Pétanque pitch
* smaller duck pond, rose garden andshadehouse containing afernery in the south-west cornerThere are alsobarbecues and toilets.Notes
References
* cite book
last = Porirua City Council
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Aotea Lagoon Management Plan
publisher = Porirua City Council
date = 1994
location =
pages =
doi =
id =
isbn = Reference copy held in Porirua City Library, Local History section, classification Qz 993.147 AOT REF. Appendix 1, Aotea Lagoon Existing Facilities is a map of the park as of 1994.
* cite web
last = Canterbury Society of Model and Experimental Engineers
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Mini Railways in New Zealand, 2nd Edition
work =
publisher =
date = 2002
url = http://www.csmee.org.nz/SecondEdition,MiniRailway_%5B1%5D.pdf
format =PDF
doi =
accessdate = 2008-03-23
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