Earnslaw Park's two willow trees will probably be removed in 10 years, as their growing root systems and size will affect the paving and small space of the park.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council community services committee decided at its meeting yesterday the trees would survive the current park upgrade, and it was hoped the Earnslaw Park toilet upgrade would begin after Easter next year.
The question of how to upgrade the park has caused disagreement for months and been the subject of multiple public consultations and a community workshop.
Most of those who attended the workshop said they would like the willows to remain.
The council's parks manager, Gordon Bailey, said the root structures would "severely impact" on the paving over the next five to 10 years. Bearing public opinion in mind, he said whether the trees should stay or go was a "hard decision".
Councillors generally agreed and committee chairwoman Cath Gilmour was concerned if the proposed turf upgrade went ahead, it would have to be done again when the trees were removed.
The council agreed to proceed with the turf upgrade and other short-term improvements within the allocated budget, keeping in mind the proposal to upgrade Beach St and that improvements would be made to the accessway for service vehicles.
A proposal from Wai Dining Group to add a cafe to the to-be-upgraded toilets was not favoured by public submitters and is no longer an option, though the council is determining whether to have a "kiosk" space in the toilets.
The council had allocated a budget of nearly $72,000 for the turf upgrade, which Mr Wilson said needed a total renewal of the current soil and $536,598 was available for the toilet upgrade.
After investigating the initial turf upgrade, "it was apparent that a wider look at how this key open-space area in downtown Queenstown was meeting the needs and pressures placed on it by an ever increasing events list was appropriate", Mr Wilson said in the report.
The council would tender the Michael Wyatt Architect-designed toilets and construction could begin on April 2 next year and be completed by June 30.
Long term, there is an opportunity to redevelop Beach St "to create a stronger relationship with Earnslaw Park", although funding has not been allocated in the 2012-22 10-Year Plan (Long Term Plan).
