Wanaka Facility August 2011

Over the last month the Wanaka community has been credited with widely engaging with the Queenstown Lakes District Council as it moves to prepare a concept plan for the future Wanaka sports facility.

“We found a real enthusiasm to get on with the project and a good meeting of minds over what it should include,” Queenstown Lakes District Council project manager Ken Gousmett said.

Overall the response from an intensive four week consultation process had been excellent. “The Council is delighted the community recognised the opportunity to contribute to the future facility and took the time to participate,” he said.
From here the questionnaires and feedback received from the meetings would be analysed and then a draft concept plan for the site would be drawn. A descriptive facilities mix report and a landscape report would also be prepared.

“This draft information will be reported back to the Wanaka community in mid to late September in a second round of consultation,” Mr Gousmett said.

Parallel to the process, the application for a Designation over the 3 Parks site was also now being prepared.

Engagement with the community included:

- Contacting and providing questionnaires to 40 organisations and all three Wanaka schools.
- One on one meetings with twelve sports organisations and others interviewed by phone.
- Three focus groups with school age residents.
- A joint meeting with Lake Wanaka Tourism and the Wanaka Chamber of Commerce.
- Meetings with all managers at Lakes Leisure and the Board and Chief Executive in Queenstown.
- Consultation meetings and discussions with the two adjoining land owners.
- A constructive community workshop attended by 25 people.
- Operation supermarket – providing questionnaires to locals.
- Survey online www.qldc.govt.nz
- Advertising and media campaign.

In addition to all the feedback, the Council also received 70 completed questionnaires, several representative of various organisations.