Otematata wants to take advantage of its lakeshore by opening it up with walkways around a wetland and popular camping and boating areas.
The project, instigated by the Otematata Residents' Association, is closer to fruition with Land Information New Zealand (Linz) agreeing to vest about 70ha of land it administers in the Waitaki District Council for recreational activities.
The association has been working on the project for some years, but has been stalled by land ownership issues.
On Tuesday, the Ahuriri Community Board is expected to recommend the council accepts the land.
If it does, the association would lease it, financing the development and promotion of walkways.
The association wants to link Otematata to the Otematata boat harbour, northeast of the town, the Lake Aviemore foreshore and Loch Laird, the popular boating and swimming area below the Benmore dam.
Included in the area is the wildlife reserve, developed in excavated areas formed when Benmore dam was being built.
The reserve was planted out to develop a wetland area.
Part of the land is also used by the Otematata Golf Club.
The association saw potential in signposting a partial walkway in the Wildlife Reserve and developing a management plan for it.
Building additional walkways would create a circuit suitable for walkers, prams and cycles, from the town to the boat harbour, Loch Laird and return.
The council's rural parks officer, Jane Matchett, said there was no management of the wildlife reserve.
However, it was a valuable community asset with significant potential.
A management plan prepared by the association had key goals of:
• Obtaining legal access to the land to build recreational walkways;
• Managing the walkways using environmental and sustainable methods;
• Enhancing the existing ecological, natural character and landscape;
• Enhancing public access, awareness and the experience of the lakeshore and wetlands area.
