The actions of a rogue motorcyclist have prompted Contact Energy to lock the gates to the head of the Hawea River, preventing public access to the downstream face and raising the ire of the Lake Hawea Community Association.
Association chairman Errol Carr issued a plea through the media yesterday for any information that could identify the people who had provoked the closure and eroded goodwill between the two organisations.
"As a consequence of the latest activity of these clowns, Contact Energy Ltd have locked the gates that provide access to the dam and the Hawea river head area. I can't blame them for that.
"If we, as a community, can't stop this sort of stupid activity then we risk having the dam area and Hawea river head area closed off for public access by a chain-link fence," he said.
The area is owned by Contact Energy and the power generator has been happy to provide kayakers and anglers with vehicle access to the river.
Communications spokesman Jonathan Hill said the company wanted to send the strongest message possible . . . the company held "considerable concerns" about dam safety and would keep the gates locked for the next few days before reviewing the situation.
Mr Carr said he only learned yesterday that a motorcyclist had been "hooning around".
"This is of serious concern to Contact Energy as any dam face degradation could lead to erosion that would compromise dam safety.
Our Hawea community also have to realise that the area around the dam is the private freehold property of Contact . . . [which has] always been happy to provide us with unrestricted access to this land - but the activities of these hoons on motorbikes threatens this Contact Energy goodwill."
