Palmerston Waihemo A&P Association president Paul Mutch said a plan to allow six to 10 motor caravans to park on land next to the Palmerston showgrounds had been well received, but he looked forward to testing the idea in a public meeting at the weekend.
''We've had a number of people who have come forward and volunteered to manage the activity on the property - look after rubbish, those sorts of things.''
But he said ''any concerns can be talked about'' at the March 4 meeting in Palmerston.
The deal to allow the motor caravan association to establish a ''park-over property'' by the showgrounds would generate some income for the A&P association, could help local businesses, and could help to ensure ''vandalism is reduced, graffiti is reduced''.
''They [motor caravan association members] are responsible people, so their presence helps temper the behaviour of some who have caused a nuisance,'' he said.
''We have had some graffiti, we have had some break-ins, and we have had some vehicles skating around on the grass causing damage. Not a lot, but ... ''
New Zealand Motor Caravan Association Otago chairman Ken Foote, of Dunedin, said it was ''very keen'' to establish a park-over property in Palmerston.
The nearest such property was in Waikouaiti, and in the winter the area could become muddy.
All members drove certified self-contained vehicles.
The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association has 73,000 members. Otago had 1200 members but that did not include North Otago, which was part of South Canterbury, or Central Otago, known as Clutha Valley, Mr Foote said.
A Waitaki District Council spokeswoman confirmed Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher and the council's executive committee met the Palmerston A&P Association to discuss the idea of a camper van park.
Although the council owned the showgrounds, the strip of land where the park was proposed was the association's - and the public meeting was part of ''the formalities and process'' required to establish the park.
