Spending $250,000 on replacing pathways in the Queenstown Gardens, part of a comprehensive upgrade planned over the next three years, raised eyebrows at a Queenstown Lakes District Council community services meeting in the resort.
QLDC parks manager Gordon Bailey presented a report updating the councillors on work in the gardens, with major works concentrating on replacing asphalt pathways disrupted in many cases by tree roots, with a new pathway edged with Timaru bluestone and the top surface finished with crushed lime aggregate.
The extent of the work had to be reduced to fit the current year's budget, with the remainder to be done in the spring, with the new allocation of budget another installment of $250,000.
Both Vanessa Van Uden and Cath Gilmour questioned the amount of money spent on the pathways and suggested the works be put out for tender next year to ensure the best value for money.
Mr Bailey said the current works were being carried out under the council's procurement strategy.
Cr Gilmour also requested a more comprehensive plan be distributed to the councillors so there was a better understanding of what had been completed and what was to be done.
While Mr Bailey raised concerns at how much that might cost, Cr Gilmour said there should be a way of obtaining a plan without it costing "$20,000 to draw a peninsula''.
"If we're paying $250,000 to get a landscaped pathway from a gate to a bridge, I think we can afford $5000 to get a decent, cohesive picture of where we're going and where we are now.''
Mr Bailey said it was not just a landscaped path, but was the single biggest cost due to the removal of the existing path and its replacement.
The rationale behind the enhancement plan was to reinstate or recreate many of the historic features of the garden in its heyday.
The enhancements would include reinstating flower beds with seasonal colour, reinstating overgrown rock gardens, a new entrance sign and enhanced irrigation.
Also, the pond needed work, Mr Bailey said. Reinstating its schist edging was intended as a separate project.
The native area would be enhanced, focusing on native plants used by Maori for food or shelter, in consultation with local iwi, he said.
Work would be done near Horne Creek, between Hotop Rise Bridge and the new Bath House Bridge, which would involve rhododendrons and other plants being transplanted there.
On the ice rink side of the gardens a new entranceway was planned from Park St, with a walking path replacing the entrance road, due to pedestrian safety issues and tree roots on the sealed road.
"Again, this is an attempt to bring back the gardens as a passive recreational area, not a thoroughfare for vehicles.''
Access for vehicles would be via the end of the car park, to link up with the road near the Bowling Club.
A plan to plant new shelter around the Peninsula would be done in due course, Mr Bailey said.
The committee received the report.
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