Clearing sludge and sedimentation from the Oamaru Public Gardens is expected to cost $300,000. But the Waitaki District Council is unsure yet if it will even carry on with the project.
The council held its public activity update this week , giving councillors the opportunity to grill staff on specific projects.
Cr Jim Hopkins queried the pond-clearing project, which was planned within the next three months.
Council recreation manager Lindsay Hyde said "a volume of material" had been identified to be cleared and the project viability hinged on being able to reuse the sediment within the public gardens’ footprint to fill low areas.
He said an investigation into that would give staff an understanding of whether "it will be viable for this project to move ahead".
"If the numbers don’t stack up, we will look at retiring the project," Mr Hyde said.
Meanwhile, the council heard erosion of the true left bank of Oamaru Creek, at the upper end of the gardens next to the Top 10 Holiday Park, had started to erode.
Urgent work was now needed to remove debris from the creek and shore up the bank.
