A record number of public submissions has been received by the Waimate District Council on its annual plan, as the district reacts to a plan for a sports stadium which could cost ratepayers up to $3.8 million.
Submissions closed last week and the council's support services manager, Carolyn Johns, said yesterday 517 individual submissions had been received - the highest number received for an annual or long term plan.
Some submissions signed by a number of people requested they be regarded as individual submissions.
On last year's annual plan, only 15 submissions were made.
This year, interest in redeveloping the 40-year-old Waimate stadium, fuelled by public meetings and forums at which people were urged to comment, boosted numbers and 467 commented on the proposal.
Other issues raised included roading, Waitaki lakes camping, public toilets and rates.
The stadium project attracted comment from a wide cross-section of the community, both urban and rural, Ms Johns said.
Young people, both as present and future users, had become involved in the process, sending submissions both for and against the stadium.
''It's brilliant to get such a wide range of comments and from all ages,'' she said.
The worst-case scenario would see the targeted stadium rate paid by all properties increase from $10.21 per property to almost $33 in the 2014-15 rating year and by a further $55.09 in the 2015-16 year to a total of $88.
However, Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley was confident that could be reduced by fund-raising, donations, grants and sponsorship.
