New Zealand's first artificial surf reef will be removed from Mount Maunganui.
The $1.5 million investment was a dream that started in the late 1990s. It promised world-class rides and up to 50 surfers at a time in the waves.
The submerged reef was placed 250 meters offshore from the corner of Tay Street and Marine Parade, five minutes drive south of the main beach.
The structure was never fully completed, and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council decided it was time to remove the reef to reduce the risk to swimmers in the area.
There are dangerous rips nearby.
The artificial surf reef was designed by ASR Limited, the same company that failed to deliver a quality solution in Boscombe, England.
ASR has gone into liquidation.