An active travel promenade, feature gardens, and a new location for the Millennium pathway tiles are all features of stage two of the Wanaka Lakefront Development Plan, which will be considered by the Wanaka Community Board (WCB) this week.

In April 2019, the WCB deferred stage two of the plan - the area of lakefront from Dungarvon Street to McDougall Street - until the lakefront parking issues were resolved. The board agreed to proceed with the detailed design of stage three instead (from the corner of Lakeside Drive and Ardmore Street along to the Wanaka Marina).

In August this year Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) revisited stage two’s concept plan and staff proposed two options for public consultation. After considering the feedback the staff is now recommending to the board that option one of the concept plan be approved. 

If approved, option one would mean the inclusion of an active travel promenade on the area of lakefront running from McDougall Street to Dungarvon Street, with new Millennium Pathway tiles laid alongside it.

Feedback overall supported parking along Ardmore Street, but did not want views blocked, or a “‘wall of cars/campervans”. PHOTO: Wanaka App

The recommendation also includes the retention of as many existing trees as possible, and the introduction of car parking on the lakeside of Ardmore Street.

QLDC community services general manager Dr Thunes Cloete said feedback from the Wanaka community from four drop-in sessions in August this year helped shape the report going before the board for consideration.

One hundred and seventy-six people gave feedback on stage two, and 52 per cent of them preferred option one of the concept design.

The proposed stage two plan. IMAGE: Supplied

Thunes said the council had made “minor revisions” to the plan based on feedback.

These include feature gardens being redefined as natural shared spaces, with low-lying natural gardens and feature trees, and parking along the lakeside of Ardmore Street being broken into sections to create more view shafts and access points to the lakefront.

The provision for campervan parking would also be removed from the design, and instead the council would look to assign a small portion of existing parallel parks on the Pembroke Park side of McDougall Street.

If the report and its recommendations are approved, the QLDC intends to form a working group to assist with the creation of a new Millennium Pathway, with terms of reference for the group to honour and protect the original legacy of the Millennium Pathway and its content.

The proposed working party membership includes Liz Hall of the original Millennium Path Project.

The plan will be considered by the WCB at its meeting at 10am, Thursday (November 5), at the Lake Wanaka Centre.