A report on the playground proposal was presented to the Cromwell Community Board on Monday.
Having researched potential playground equipment and canvassed opinions within the Pisa Moorings community, Central Otago District Council community facility manager Grahame Smail asked the Cromwell Community Board to consider funding of $117,000 for the project.
He said the average cost of 16 playground options was calculated at $104,000.
Mr Smail said a preferred option was to have a four-piece playground at Dustin Park, comprising a swing set, slide, climbing structure, and spinning wheel.
In 2007, the board budgeted $35,000 for a playground in the Pisa area, following strong community support for such a facility.
Submissions on a proposed playground were called for earlier this year, and 26 were received.
Dustin Park was the site favoured by 20 submitters, and Mr Smail obtained a management agreement from the Crown, which owns the land, to establish a playground there.
But he recently received a document citing the opposition of 61 people to the establishment of a playground at Dustin Park, due to its proximity to Lake Dunstan and the potential for children to drown.
"Due to the potential drowning hazard we request that the community board do not locate the proposed playground anywhere on Dustin Park," the document said.
Mr Smail said the document was not considered an official petition or a submission.
Of the 61 signatories, only nine gave permission for their names and contact details to be made public.
Dustin Park was one of the only available areas of land which met the board's requirements for a playground.
Sites had to be at least 25m from the nearest adjoining allotment, lake shore, and boat ramp access track.
Board chairman Neil Gillespie said despite some opposition, the board supported a playground at Dustin Park and "had not made any decision to change that".
On Monday it resolved to make up to $117,000 plus GST available for a playground at Dustin Park, and asked Mr Smail to get further community feedback before a final concept plan could be approved.
