Revamping Cromwell's Big Fruit reserve has a price tag as hefty as the giant fruit.
The work around the Big Fruit sculpture, the next stage of the town centre redevelopment, was expected to cost just under $1 million but tenders received for the project range from $1.24 million to $1.77 million.
The increased costs might force a rethink by the Cromwell Community Board.
The board will consider the tenders and a report on the proposed redevelopment at its meeting on Tuesday.
Wildflower plantings, a children's playground, an amphitheatre, two avenues of trees, stone walls and contoured grassed mounds are all included in the plans for the redeveloped reserve at the State Highway 8B entrance to the town.
The Cromwell reserves contribution account, made up of development contributions, can be used for up to 30% of the project cost.
Central Otago District Council staff have suggested several options, including cancelling the project.
The proposal recommended by council property and facilities manage Mike Kerr was to decline all seven tenders and negotiate with one of the tenderers and to delete some elements from the project to reduce costs.
In his report to the board, Mr Kerr said the lowest tender was still $310,175 higher than the May estimate for the work.
Deleting some features while retaining design intent would reduce the price of the project to just over $1 million.
Cancelling the project would be a ''change of direction'' for the board, when it had already agreed to carry out the various stages of the town centre redevelopment, he said.
Money has been set aside in this year's council budget for upgrading the Big Fruit reserve.
