Problems with parking congestion, dust, pedestrian safety, and damage to reserve grass at Wānaka’s Watersports car park were identified by council staff following completion of the first stage of the car park’s upgrade.

These concerns were raised last week (Thursday November 21) at a workshop with the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board and elected members debated the issues before settling on a plan to proceed.

A surplus of between $10,000-$15,000 was identified from the funding for stage one’s development, which was completed in September this year with the installation of a new bridge, removal of the old wooden bridge, a chip seal parking surface, and new active travel paths separating the cars from pedestrians.

Accepting that further parking improvements would be constrained by this limited funding, elected members agreed to a simple extension of the existing “rock boundary” alongside the bund (raised hump) bordering the driveway between the car park and the playground.

The rocks act as a deterrent to vehicles randomly parking on the grassed reserve.

The board also requested that a space for six car parks closest to the playground should be made available on the reserve’s grass - in addition to the existing playground car parks.

Board chair Simon Telfer said the use and positioning of rocks, rather than something more permanent (and expensive) such as fencing or bollards, allowed for a trial to be conducted and a future review would decide if further adjustments were recommended.

The other changes requested included a sign-posted and delineated bus stop (pickup/drop off only) at the only entrance to the car park (off Mt Aspiring Road) as well as the formalised delineation of up to 25 car parks.

It was also agreed that the flow of traffic should be restricted to one way, entering the park closest to Stoney Creek and exiting at the playground end of the reserve. Painted direction arrows, signage, and narrowing entranceways with the placement of rocks would encourage one-way entry.

Queenstown Lakes District Council parks staff member Maddy Dowman said the placement of the rocks would occur before Christmas but the signposting and painting of lines on the chipsealed surface would have to wait until next year.

Parking is constrained by the bund, which was a condition of the resource consent directed by the Environment Court, Maddy said, and the bund could not be removed or altered without council being granted a variation to the consent.

She said the limited budget meant QLDC could not afford to regrass the area at this stage but that by limiting the parking on the grassed area the dust generated by cars parking should also be reduced.

PHOTO: Wānaka App