Two public drop-in meetings have been held so people could discuss with councillors and staff the fate of Wanaka's central camping ground, the proposed sports hub and the swimming pool. Public submissions close next Friday.
Deputy mayor John S. Wilson said last week he feared Wanaka people could miss out on sports facilities if they did not make clear submissions on their preferred site for a sports hub.
Without clear community direction, the Wanaka Community Board could be hampered in making a recommendation within the time frame set by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, Cr Wilson said.
"Go for broke, otherwise Queenstown will come along and want a 60,000-seat stadium or something. But it is time for Wanaka. We are due. I am really going in to bat for that," Cr Wilson said.
One of the key issues is whether a new swimming pool needs to be part of an indoor stadium.
Yesterday, swimming pool working party chairman Leigh Stock said he believed the two facilities would be better in separate locations.
The pool should be at Kelly's Flat, near Wanaka's schools, while the remainder of the sports hub could be located at the showgrounds and camping ground, Mr Stock said in a media interview on Radio Wanaka.
The working party chose Kelly's Flat as its preferred pool site after public consultation last year. The current pool is at Mt Aspiring College.
Mr Stock said the pool should stay close to the schools to save on transport costs associated with getting pupils to swimming lessons.
Budgets for Wanaka sports facilities need to be allocated in the next QLDC long-term plan, which goes out for public consultation in March.
After submissions close next week, sports facilities working party member Nick Brown will write a report for the Wanaka Community Board board with a recommendation on which of four sites would be best for the sports hub.
The sites are the showgrounds/Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park, a greenfields site on Ballantyne Rd, Kelly's Flat and Lismore Park.
To meet budget deadlines, the board needs to make its recommendation to the Queenstown Lakes District council by December.
Another big issue being addressed in relation to the sports hub is the fate of the Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park.
A third issue is whether any other land needed to be "land-banked" for further sports facilities.
Cr Wilson said land-banking tended to be overlooked by other organisations, such as the Ministry of Education, and the council did not want to have to "second-guess" where those facilities might go.
An estimated 13,747 people are expected to be living in the Wanaka area by 2026.
