Investing the Central Otago District Council with control of the Aronui Dam in Bridge Hill, Alexandra, may take up to six months.
After community work at the end of 2014 to restore the dam, the council is undergoing a formal process to take it on as a reserve rather than as a conservation area under the Department of Conservation.
Council parks team leader Ian Mann said a resolution was passed by the Vincent Community Board to vest the council with control of the dam as a reserve because the public wanted it.
A management plan for the area would be established in conjunction with the Jolendale Park Charitable Trust, which manages the public Jolendale Park next to the dam.
Once a management plan was created, revegetation and beautification of the area would begin.
In the interim, basic maintenance would be conducted by the council.
Mr Mann said he hoped to hear from people willing to give time or resources towards developing the reserve.
The community had wanted management of the park vested in the council, so it would be good to see them step up and help, he said.
It was the intention of the council to minimise the cost of maintenance to ratepayers.
Dr Enny Manning, who with her husband Jolyon, created the nearby Jolendale Park, said the condition of the dam was now ''absolutely wonderful''.
She expected establishing a management plan to take a long time, but believed volunteers would ''continue their good work'' on the upkeep of the area in the interim.
