Over Christmas and New Year, thousands of people would flock to the Friendly Bay carnival, which began in 1922 but ended in 1979. Since its demise, the area has never been the same, but that may now change.
The Waitaki District Council has produced a development strategy for the whole harbour area, but a draft concept plan has now emerged under the strategy for Friendly Bay.
The council's harbour subcommittee will decide about going ahead with the plan at its meeting on Monday.
The plan includes developing the carnival site into junior and senior playgrounds, landscaping, picnic areas and public toilets.
Ideas range from elephant and crab playground equipment with a Steampunk theme and a miniature railway and railway station through to a flying fox and areas for outdoor entertainment and events.
Friendly Bay itself would be linked to the carnival site through the junior playground on the former northern end of Marine Parade and improved with renovations of the stone wall and the addition of steps.
Developer Brian de Geest also has plans to re-create the Friendly Bay Tearooms.
The aim is to make the area the focal point of a rejuvenated harbour.
A budget of $1.3 million has been allocated for the first stage of the overall development, and included in that is $435,500 for the Friendly Bay area.
The planned playground is a major part of the redevelopment, using the former carnival site and land freed up by closing off the end of Marine Parade.
It has distinct areas for junior play and senior play, an open space for exhibitions and events and a prominent entrance. Walking tracks will link the playgrounds and for security, there will be lighting.
A Steampunk or other sculpture, lit at night, will be a focal point at the entrance.
Near the main entrance will be a train station with a toy train and, possibly, a vintage train and a toilet.
The junior play area will be between Friendly Bay and the carnival site and include a 10m-long historic fishing boat moored to a wooden deck with a "walk the plank", blue penguins diving into sand, a small slide, a sand table, a nest swing, stepping pods, seating areas and a picnic table.
The senior playground is in the centre of the carnival site with a Steampunk elephant, preferably with a slide and connected to a flying fox, a historic steam crane on railway tracks, a large crab with slide and other activities, swings with a clown on a penny farthing, a basketball hoop, seating and provision for future development.
Property manager Dougall McIntyre said if the subcommittee gave the go ahead to develop a detailed plan from the draft, work could start "in a timely manner".
It would also give the opportunity to follow up an offer of locally donated contractor services, source equipment and plan landscaping.
