Councillors at this week’s CODC community services committee decided to table a proposal to be part of a Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes plan, which would develop "a strategic vision and plan for the future development of appropriate and sustainable sport and recreation facilities" in the two districts.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) was already considering a plan for its region, and had discussed the idea with the Central Lakes Trust and other funders, a report to councillors, by parks and recreation manager Mathew Begg, said.
However, the report did not tell councillors the idea for the plan had come from the trust.
Mr Begg said after the meeting he had not known the idea came from the Central Lakes Trust, and CODC chief executive officer Leanne Mash confirmed the suggestion had actually come to her via Sport Otago, which was co-ordinating the QLDC’s plan, and Mr Begg probably had not known of the trust’s role.Central Lakes Trust chief executive Paul Allison said last year the idea could become a blueprint for the district, and background work for the study was then being done.
He said the study would be done in partnership with district councils and could pave the way for studies in other sectors.
Councillors yesterday had mixed views on the plan, with many concerned small towns such as Roxburgh, Ranfurly and Alexandra would miss out on facilities that population growth suggested should go to Cromwell, Queenstown and Wanaka.
Maniototo councillor Stu Duncan was particularly critical of the idea, calling it "a farce" that would promote new facilities in larger towns at the expense of smaller ones.
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said it was possible the creation of a plan would result in the Central Otago district losing its autonomy, and decisions about where to site new facilities would be made by funders according to "the master plan".
"Once that master plan is in place, they [funders] are going to be able to say ‘well it’s [a facility requested by a community] not on the plan’."
Community services committee chairman Stephen Jeffery said he thought information about the origins of the idea should have been included in the report presented to councillors, and he would like some more background for the committee’s next meeting.
Councillors have asked to see a similar sports and recreation study that was done in the Waikato, and more information about the scope of the idea.
