Local services such as kerbside collections of rubbish and recycling will continue as normal under the COVID-19 alert level four, but other council services will be reduced, such as animal control and parking enforcement, and some will be closed to the public, including boat ramps and waste transfer stations.

In a statement today, the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) outlined the list of services which would be affected during the period of level four lockdown.

The harbourmaster and staff will continue to be on call and respond to emergency matters but all marinas and boat ramps will be closed to the public and the community should avoid going out on local waterways, the council said. Launching facilities will remain available only for businesses providing essential services (as defined by the government) and emergency services.

All service centres, sport and recreation facilities, playgrounds and libraries will remain closed until further notice. However, the main council phone line will still be operating and the priority will be to respond only to urgent issues to ensure the safety of staff and the community.

Kerbside rubbish and recycling collections will continue as usual.

Animal control officers will respond to serious incidents only; parking enforcement will only respond to urgent complaints about inconsiderate parking; public litter bins will continue to be serviced but at a reduced frequency; and alcohol licensing will process licence renewals only.

Only essential public toilets will remain open and continue to be cleaned and serviced. All others will be closed, as will playgrounds, water fountains and BBQs.

Cemetery, interments and burial services will remain operational with some restrictions placed on numbers of those permitted to attend.

The council’s arborist team is on standby to respond to any emergency work on trees related to public health and safety, but all mowing, horticulture, sports field services and seasonal renovations are suspended until further notice.

Public rubbish bins will continue to be emptied but not as frequently.

The walking/cycling trail network remains open but users are asked to avoid remote or risky locations for safety reasons.

Regular maintenance of roads will occur to ensure the continued safety of the road but no new road works will begin and street sweeping will cease.

Noise complaints can still be reported to the council by calling 03 441 0499 or 03 443 0024.

QLDC building and planning services staff will operate from home where possible and continue to process existing applications and requests for approvals, but site visits, inspections and all public hearings for resource and building consents are cancelled until further notice.

Information about existing prepaid and direct debit memberships of Alpine Health & Fitness, Alpine Aqualand and Wanaka Recreation Centre, along with QLDC Swim School payments and indoor climbing lesson payments, can be found here.

All library items currently issued to borrowers have been extended and are not due back until September 17. A wide range of free e-Library services are available including e-books and audio books, digital versions of newspapers and magazines, and free streaming of movies and documentaries is also available. Find more information here.

PHOTO: Wanaka App