Luggate’s unappealing playground, a lack of storage in the new Luggate Memorial Centre and an inadequate local water scheme were key topics discussed at the Luggate Community Association’s (LCA) recent annual general meeting (January 14).

The LCA had received correspondence noting public dissatisfaction with the state of Luggate’s Hopkins Street playground and the loss of several of its key attractions since construction of the adjacent memorial centre began 18 months ago.

LCA chair Rod Anderson said the playground is “an ongoing problem” and a source of frustration for the LCA which has been “working hard to reach a solution and get this back up and running for the many families that enjoy using it”.

Luggate’s new $5.56M hall was opened late last year, after a lengthy construction which began in July 2021. 

The construction of Luggate’s new Memorial Centre closed the adjacent Hopkins Street playground (right).

In his chair’s report, Rod said it was “good to see the hall finally open, and it is now up to us to turn it into a community centre”. He encouraged locals to contact Christine Shafer at Wānaka’s council office for any enquiries about the hall.

Concerns have been raised, however, about the new centre’s inadequate storage compared with the previous memorial hall. 

Hall seating and community group items and equipment used in the former Luggate Memorial Hall are still being stored in a shipping container on private land.

The chair’s report also highlighted the ongoing frustration with water restrictions. Rod thanked the community for making an effort to conserve water but said the council’s bore system is inadequate for the task.

“When the system was originally installed, we had no restrictions, and when developments began, we were assured that there would be a new water source in place. But that did not happen, and those new development houses were allowed to join the existing water supply.”

Inadequate storage in the new Memorial Centre means hall chairs and community equipment are still stored in a shipping container on private land adjacent to the new centre.

He said QLDC had a plan to alleviate the situation involving new reservoirs but “costs have risen” and funding is yet to be  allocated.

It was not all doom and gloom, however.

Luggate’s Red Bridge Reserve project is progressing well: a new information kiosk has been erected and the frisbee golf park is now completed and open to players, Rod said.

Other positives included the publication of a collection of local residents’ memories, titled the ‘Luggate Book’; native planting along Kingan Road; significant donations to the Luggate Community Fund; and recognition of the locals who built a picnic table and seats in Taylor Park. 

Elections of officers were also held and Rod Anderson was re-elected unopposed as chair of the LCA. Also re-elected were Graeme Perkins (deputy chair), Arda Booiman (treasurer) and Raewyn Curin (secretary), as well as a committee of ten.

PHOTOS: Wānaka App