Slow progress on some Upper Clutha capital works projects has been highlighted by a recent Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) meeting.

The council’s Audit, Finance and Risk Committee (AFRC) met last week (March 3) to discuss its six monthly report indicating a snapshot of council expenditure for the first six months of this year, as well as progress on some of the 393 capital works projects the council currently has on the go.

This included an update on multiple Upper Clutha projects including the “high priority” $5.56M Luggate Memorial Hall, the long-running Project Pure upgrade and multiple other three waters infrastructure projects.

It also provided an update on some of the smaller but no less important community projects, some of which appear to be progressing at glacial speed.

Youth and community hub

Local councillor Niamh Shaw is the only Wānaka Ward elected member on the ARFC and she has been keeping a close watch on the progress of projects, such as the repurposing of the former Mitre 10 building into a Youth and Community Hub, a project championed by local community groups and supported by council.

Last year, council proposed a 10 year lease, allocated $1M in the current financial year, comprising $750k of capital expenditure plus $250k of grants, for the lease and fitout of the building in Anderson Heights, and began lease negotiations in earnest. 

Nine months later and a lease still hasn’t been agreed and community groups are no closer to moving into a new home.

“This facility is desperately needed by many of our community organisations, and I’m fully supportive of it,” Niamh said.

The AFRC report said it expected the lease agreement to come to council last month together with a fit-out estimate anticipated to be in excess of the $1.0M budget. It also suggested that a deferral of funding to the next financial year was likely.

QLDC property director Quintin Howard declined to provide the Wānaka App with an update on the lease negotiations.

Instead, he said: “The community hub project has not stalled and council has not deferred any funding.”

Quintin said staff have been working with the landlord “to achieve a positive outcome for the Upper Clutha community”, including understanding the potential fit-out and operational costs of the building. It is currently undergoing landlord-funded upgrades which are required before a fit-out can be finalised.

Niamh would not be drawn on the length of time the project was taking but said she expected the final proposal with supporting figures will be presented at next month’s (April) council meeting.

Lakefront development plan

Wānaka’s Lakefront Development Plan (LDP) is another slowly progressing project. A concept plan of development broken into five stages (running from the showgrounds end of the lake foreshore through to the Yacht Club) was adopted by council in 2016 but, to date, only two of its five stages have been completed. 

In the 2018 -2028 10 Year Plan (10YP), a total of $6.25M was budgeted for the LDP project with a finish date in the FY23/24. Stage one of the LDP was completed in 2020 but by the time the 2021-2031 10YP was adopted last year the project completion date was pushed out to FY25/26 with an increased budget of $8.6M. 

Stage three has now been completed at the cost of $3.7M and QLDC media spokesperson Sam White confirmed that stage two is in the final stages of the tender process with a budget of $4.1M and is expected to take about five months to construct. 

Stage three of Wānaka’s Lakefront Development Plan under construction in June last year.

Stage five has a budget of $2.3M (including taxpayer monies from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund), Sam said, and a planned completion date of June 2023 while the last segment of the LDP, stage four, hasn’t progressed beyond a basic concept design.

The AFRC report said, as of December, the LDP project is $0.8M behind on year to date spending with delays caused by lengthy consultation periods and the construction tendering process.

Mt Iron purchase

The report also revealed further details about the QLDC’s purchase of Mt Iron private land on behalf of the community as a public reserve, a purchase deal that council announced last December.

As the purchase negotiations were confidential, no funding has been allocated in any QLDC budget to buy this land but last week’s AFRC report revealed in the QLDC contracts register that the sum of $8M has been paid to law firm Lane Neave towards the purchase of Mt Iron. 

Sam declined to advise the source of this funding, or even if it would be partially funded from the Wānaka Asset Sale Reserve Fund (which was created when the QLDC sold Scurr Heights land for $15.6M for residential development).

“The final purchase price is not confirmed until the settlement is unconditional. Hence council is not able to share any further details at this stage..,” Sam said. He added that it will be several months before the private land formally becomes council reserve.

Location of Wānaka A&P Show

Sam also put to bed a circulating rumour that the Wānaka A & P Show’s annual event would be asked to relocate from it’s long-held position on the Wānaka Recreation Grounds Reserve (otherwise known as the showgrounds) and the adjacent Pembroke Park.

The AFRC report said $280K budgeted this financial year for the development of sports fields at the Wānaka Showgrounds would be deferred until next year because council staff were “unable to undertake upgrades this financial year as the grounds are being used by sports and the Wānaka Show”. 

As the show and other sporting events will occur again next year it was unclear why next year would be more suitable for the planned upgrades.

A QLDC parks and reserves team has conducted an assessment of the Wānaka Recreation Grounds Reserve’s sports fields and will be initially discussing it with the rugby club and other users, Sam said.

While the assessment hasn’t formally come before the Wānaka Community Board, Sam confirmed the A & P Show’s annual event would continue to use both the showgrounds, in accordance with the Wānaka Recreation Grounds Reserve management plan, and Pembroke Park. 

PHOTOS: Wānaka App