Work on stage five of the Wānaka Lakefront Development Plan (LDP) will begin this month.

It is the penultimate stage of the development of Wānaka’s lakefront, which began with construction of stage one at the Mount Aspiring Road car park in 2018.

Stage five will complement the already completed stages of the LDP, Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) community services general manager Ken Bailey said.

“Stage five will feature an extension to the 2.5 metre shared pathway Te Ara Wānaka that weaves along the lakefront, with the new sections running alongside the bank between Lakeside Road and the marina and yacht club, before connecting with the start of the Eely Point lakeside trail,” he said.

“Given this location plays host to plenty of vehicles, boats, and trailers throughout the year, the formalised pathway will keep people safe when moving through the area, while helping to maintain the existing space for recreational lake users too.”

At the other end it will connect with the stage three pathway and boardwalk alongside Lakeside Road.

The project will also deliver three additional car parking spaces for those using the marina, while safeguarding the boat and trailer parking area nearby, he said.

“Stage five is where many locals and visitors to Wānaka start or end their walks, runs, bike rides, and plenty more,” Ken said. “The upgrades here recognise the importance of this recreation space for boaties, and will help keep people safe.”

Work is expected to begin in mid-July and be completed by the end of October.

Pedestrians will be diverted along Lakeside Road while construction is underway, and controlled vehicle access will be maintained for marina, yacht club, and boat ramp users, but it is still recommended boaties launch their vessels from other areas to avoid delays. 

Boats parked within the construction site have been temporarily moved to Eely Point Reserve, and will stay there until work on stage five is complete.

The contract for stage five was awarded to Fulton Hogan at an estimated cost of $1.5M.

Read more: Lakefront development construction to occur over winter

The final stage of the LDP will be stage four - the development of Wānaka's town centre foreshore area. It has been deferred and currently there is neither an approved plan nor is there funding for stage four within the next five years in the council’s draft 10-Year Plan. 

PHOTOS: Wānaka App