Council people and culture group manager Lisa Baillie declined to answer questions from the Otago Daily Times about the project earlier this week.
"Until the workshop on 12 March we’re unable to provide any further information," she said.
And at Tuesday’s council meeting, where proposals for the 2018-28 long-term plan draft financial forecasts were accepted by the council for its public consultation on the plan, the project was not discussed. The draft financial forecast lists a $1.9 million council contribution to the project and $4.1 million external funding required for the project.
However, after the meeting Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher was able to offer some information on the upcoming workshop. He said while the project would still be included in the draft long-term plan presented to the public this year, the March 12 meeting would be held "to determine the direction on it [the project]".
"The wheels are wobbling," he said.
"The nature of it might change. One of the wobbles we have been hit with is it’s going to cost us much more to run it."
The amount of money it would cost to run the facility could require "reshaping the project".
"The capital costs might change, but we’re definitely wanting to change the operational costs."
The project as it stood was responsible for 1% of the current draft plan’s projected 5% rates increase for 2020-21, he said.
