There were requests aplenty from Arrowtown at the Queenstown Lakes District Council's draft annual plan submissions hearing in Queenstown yesterday, with four submissions from the town among the 16 heard.
In addition to the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Network's request for a 20% rates increase to rebrand and market Arrowtown, the Arrowtown Trust, Arrowtown Village Association and Arrowtown 150th anniversary committee all approached the council with requests for financial support or work.
Jim Feely, on behalf of the AVA, spoke in support of a traffic management plan for the town, which would implement a 40kmh speed limit across the town; provide bicycle parking on Buckingham St and other well-used, prominent places; and a "trial programme of closures on Buckingham St" to make it accessible only to pedestrians.
"We would like to see Arrowtown have a 40kmh speed limit to enhance the village atmosphere.
"We don't believe there would be a big cost, but we'd appreciate it if traffic engineers could have a look at it," Mr Feely said.
Mr Feely was told the lower speed limit was already under advisement and the trial closure of Buckingham St could occur in October, when the street upgrade is programmed.
Arrowtown Trust members David Clarke and Don Spary sought the establishment of a "sinking fund" to be funded by rental income from properties the trust had restored.
They included three historic Buckingham St cottages and the former Millers Flat Church, recently relocated, restored and now open for limited commercial use.
The four buildings would return about $70,000 per annum to the council and the sinking fund would allow the trust to continue working on projects within the precinct.
Mr Spary said the fund would be administered by the council but would allow the trust to "operate and pay the odd bill".
"We need to be able to help those who help us."
For example, Arrowtown police had proposed a makeover of the community police station.
"It's a very limited budget, but they're with us on it and it would be very nice if, with that sinking fund, we could put X amount towards it, because we believe in it.
"I believe the council should establish ... and hold the money and from time to time if we need a bit of a [help] with our own administration or if we could help other people we would come to the council and ask."
Meanwhile Arrowtown 150th anniversary co-ordinator Julie Hughes sought $25,000 seed funding to begin preparations for the anniversary, which would be marked over four days next October.
The money would allow a co-ordinator to work on funding and sponsorship applications for the celebrations, which had an estimated budget of $130,400.
The committee would seek funding from the Community Trust of Southland, Central Lakes Trust and other organisations.
At a glance
Submissions to the Queenstown Lakes District Council on its draft annual plan, heard in Queenstown yesterday. -
• Destination Queenstown: Despite challenges in the business environment, DQ remained committed to working with its members to increase visitor spending from $800 million to $1 billion by 2015 and to work in "harmony and parallel" with Shaping Our Futures to add more value to a proposed events agency.
• CCS Disability Action: The group submitted there was more work to be done in providing mobility parking, preventing illegal use of it and ensuring disabled people were included in the community, particularly in terms of events.
• Mountain biking: Skyline and the Queenstown Mountain Bike Club sought the council's support for continued maintenance of the new mountain-bike park at the Ben Lomond Forest Reserve, financially and in terms of administration.
• Tim Barke, John Glover, Nigel Kerr and the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce: Submitted against the proposal to reduce rates by $130,000 at the expense of gritting on alpine roads, including the Crown Range Rd, and reducing oiling of roads to cut rates.
• Chamber of Commerce: The chamber submitted in support of $25,000 being spent on economic modelling software to provide some certainty of consequences before major decisions were made in the district.
• Wakatipu Trails Trust: The trust submitted in support of $211,742 allocated to the Wakatipu Trail Development staying in the council's budget.
