The Albert Town Community Association (ATCA) is not giving up on its plan to create a community centre for residents despite being given the thumbs down by the council. 

Last week (February 16) the ATCA committee laid out its case for a much-needed community building at a meeting with Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) representatives, including mayor Glyn Lewers, chief executive Mike Theelen and QLDC’s community associations relationship manager Abbey Mocke.

Their response was that the QLDC had no money to spend on such a project and their residents could use the Luggate Memorial Hall or the Lake Wānaka Centre instead, ATCA chair Heather Thorne said. 

Heather said being told to drive 10 or 15 minutes to a council facility elsewhere was “ridiculous” and contrary to the council’s own climate plan to reduce the district’s carbon footprint as well as its Community Facilities Strategy (CFS) completed in 2021.

Community facilities are central to wellbeing, the CFS document states, bringing “connection, cohesion and colour to our lives and neighbourhoods”. 

One of its overarching objectives is to create ten-minute urban neighborhoods which allow residents to reach key community facilities within a 10 minute walk (one-way), cycle or local public transport trip from home.

Currently Albert Town has no easily accessible community meeting place. ATCA meets in members' homes and its recent AGM was held in the local pub’s restaurant area, while diners were served.

Albert Town’s community-owned Riverside Park facility does have a small meeting room but access to the facility via the secure swimming pool area is less than ideal for public meetings, Heather said.

“The gate has to be locked at all times [and]… in the past people have not been able to attend the meeting room.”  

ATCA’s case to council had included requesting the council-owned relocatable building last used as a temporary community hall in Luggate.

This council-owned relocatable building, last used as a temporary community hall in Luggate, would have been ideal for Albert Town’s purposes, ATCA said. 

But QLDC media officer Sam White told the Wānaka App the building had already been relocated to Whakatipu and council staff have resolved it will be used either at Jacks Point or Ladies Mile.

“Council recognises the association’s desire for a local community facility in Albert Town which we’re sure would become a real hub for its growing population,” he said.

But such requests have to be considered alongside council’s strategy to deliver an efficient, sustainably funded and flexible network of facilities that meet current and future community needs across the district, he said.

He said the Upper Clutha already has council community venues in Wānaka, Hāwea Flat and Luggate, and another council community hub was being built in Wānaka at the former Mitre 10 building.

Albert Town’s population forecast “doesn’t reach the threshold for further council investment right now but we have invited the ATCA to look into community and grant funding, and we’re happy to help connect them with potential stakeholders”, Sam said.

Albert Town’s current population is about 700 fewer than Arrowtown’s population, which has two community halls; one is a council facility and the other is a community-owned, council managed centre built in 2019 with a $1M contribution from ratepayers. Lake Hayes has its Pavilion; Glenorchy its hall; Ladies Mile has been allocated millions for the development of community facilities; and the council has just negotiated a lease of land to Frankton residents to establish the Whakatipu community hub at Five Mile.

Heather said ATCA would not be deterred and would continue to investigate all available options.

“Rest assured we are not giving up and feel that we deserve better from QLDC.”