Community board members have encouraged council staff to stick with the status quo for most rules governing the use of local lakes and rivers. 

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) staff shared progress on a review of the Navigation Safety Bylaw 2018  - which will go out to the public for feedback once completed - at yesterday’s (Thursday July 11) Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) meeting.

Potential changes such as reducing the number of ski lanes on Lake Wānaka and adding vessel identification requirements got the thumbs down from the board members.

There was mixed support for the possibility of new vessel passage lanes under the Albert Town bridge to reduce the risk of a collision between vessels and bridge jumpers.

QLDC staff are revisiting the bylaw because it must be reviewed every five years.

“I don’t think there are significant problems with the existing bylaw,” deputy mayor Quentin Smith said. 

“I don’t think we need to be making big changes.”

There was some discussion about amending life jacket rules which Quentin noted could “open a can of worms”.

So could removing ski lanes at Roy’s Bay and Eely Point, which councillor Cody Tucker said would get “a lot of pushback”.

Cody also opposed the possibility of giving the harbourmaster discretion over approving events on the water.

QLDC staff will take the WUCCB’s input into consideration as they continue the bylaw review process.

The council intends to present a draft bylaw to councillors in mid-September.

PHOTO: James Brewer