One of the volunteer caretakers of the Aronui Dam aired a few grizzles when the dam's future management was discussed this week.
Jolyon Manning told a Vincent Community Board meeting although the dam was under the stewardship of the Department of Conservation, he had spent ''thousands of dollars and probably half a day a week'' tending the dam, over many years.
The dam was built on Bridge Hill, Alexandra in 1909 to supply water for gold-mining and later for town water.
Mr Manning and his wife Enny created Jolendale Park in 1961 on 6ha of land near the dam and the park has been given to the community.
The board's discussion about the dam was a chance to ''get a few grizzles off my mind'', he said.
Although he was glad to volunteer his services to tend the dam reserve, it would be nice to get a thank-you from the Central Otago District Council, he said.
''The Otago Regional Council has recognised our work but it hasn't been recognised by the CODC. I know you love us, but we haven't had a piece of paper by the council to say so,'' Mr Manning said.
In October, the regional council held a ceremony at Jolendale to pay tribute to the work done by the Mannings and presented Mr Manning with a citation recognising his advocacy for the environment.
The board agreed to formally acknowledge the work done by the Mannings and also decided to make a move to have stewardship of the Aronui Dam vested in the district council rather than in Doc.
Then it would enter into a management agreement with the Jolendale Park Charitable Trust so the trust could carry out maintenance work on the dam reserve.
Trust chairman Malcolm Macpherson said the trust had ''long believed the two reserves should be managed together''.
CODC parks team leader Ian Mann said he was also grateful for the work on the dam reserve by a group of local residents who had set up a fund to pay for clearing raupo around the dam.
''Work on the dam could enhance it and make it a destination for visitors as well as locals,'' he said.
Community board member Barrie Wills said the Keep Alexandra Clyde Beautiful group might help out.
The bulk of the raupo would be cleared over three days, starting on December 29, and a small portion, about 10%, would be left as habitat for Australian coot, a waterbird.
