In March, the council adopted a statement of proposal for the Queenstown Arts Centre building, on the corner of Stanley and Ballarat Sts, to remove it from its strategic assets register.
At the time, Cr Niki Gladding — who was on Thursday’s hearings panel — sought for the item to be tabled and have staff report back with a draft statement of proposal addressing options for the future use of the arts centre building, believing the statement of proposal was asking "the wrong question", but that motion was lost.
Subsequently, the council received 93 submissions on the proposal — the vast majority in favour of removing the building from the register and relocating it to Frankton’s Country Lane precinct.
At the end of Thursday’s hearing, before Crs Craig Ferguson, Gladding and Penny Clark, Cr Gladding said she did not know if everyone understood what was being asked through the statement of proposal.
Submitter Kaari Schlebach said during community meetings on the topic it was "really clear that it wasn’t clear".
"There was a lot of panic around losing another of our historic buildings.
"Even removing it from the assets list, what does that mean?"
The building dates back to at least the 1930s, and was formerly part of the original Queenstown District High School.
It had been used as a base for Queenstown’s creative arts community for the past 20 years, until the lease expired in March.
While it is on the council’s strategic assets list, it has no formal historical protection.
The council has earmarked the site it sits on for either a temporary car park or laydown construction area, until such time as Project Manawa, its civic and cultural centre, progresses.
In her submission, Ms Schlebach encouraged the council to think about the value the building would hold in Queenstown a century from now.
"We don’t have a lot left in Queenstown that makes up the fabric of the history of what brought it to its present time, and I just feel like removing this building from the assets list removes this building from the protection that council gives it.
"In my opinion, the reason the building is on the assets list is because it deserves protection by the community, for the community, and the council offers that protection.
"I think it would be a great loss to future generations if this building is taken off the assets list."
Joan Allan, whose late husband attended the high school at the site, was asked by Cr Gladding if she felt it was "inevitable" the building would have to be moved.
Mrs Allan responded, "I don’t think there’s a hope in hell of you leaving it there."
She told the panel too many of the Wakatipu’s landmark buildings and homes of historical significance had been destroyed.
"Heritage is so very, very important.
"Please, save the arts centre, no matter what."
The panel adjourned the hearing to deliberate ahead of making a recommendation to full council.
