Local footpaths, a car park, a jetty and boat ramps are all set to benefit from central government funding but only if the council completes the work in a limited timeframe.

In July last year it was announced that the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) had secured $2.4M for the district from round five of the Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF), of which just over half will be spent in Wānaka.

Over $780,000 has been assigned to improve the safety of Wānaka marina’s shared bike/pedestrian paths and upgrade its concrete boat ramps and the adjacent wooden jetty #147, and an additional $432,000 is allocated to upgrade the Stoney Creek car park (beside the Wānaka Watersports Facility).

The funding for these “shovel-ready” projects is conditional on completing the projects by July next year.

Improving the safety of this shared bike/pedestrian path at the entrance of the marina is also on the list for funding.

While concept plans outlining the marina’s bike/pedestrian paths were shared with the public last November (stage five of Wānaka’s lakefront development plan), the separate safety aspects at the entrance to the marina attracting the TIF funding are still being assessed, council staff said.

There are also no plans available to the public describing the nature of the proposed upgrade to the jetty and ramps, or the Stoney Creek car park. Exactly how the jetty and ramps will be upgraded or how many car parks will be provided is unknown.

Earlier this month, QLDC spokesperson Sam White said the staff met with stakeholders, including Land Information New Zealand (LINZ is responsible for the Queen’s Chain, the 20m strip of public land along the edge of lakes, rivers, etc), and council has been in discussions with the local boating community recently but “there are as yet no designs relating to the boat ramp or jetty to share with the [Wānaka Community] Board or wider community”.

He said the upgrade to the Stoney Creek car park will formalise the current parking area, providing a sealed surface and improving pedestrian and cyclist access. It will also provide greater environmental protection of the creek and trees, but council staff are still working on concept plans.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars will be spent developing the Stoney Creek car park.

“Once this is complete we can determine the best layout for the upgraded car park,” he said. 

Sam said council did not envisage the July 2023 deadline as an issue.

“We are currently working through specific timelines for the TIF-funded work … which will be completed before…[the] deadline,” he said.

In 2019 the QLDC was awarded $2.93M TIF funding to establish eight new toilet blocks: three were assigned to locations in the Upper Clutha resulting in toilets at Albert Town (corner of Gunn Road and Alison Ave) and at the Red Bridge Reserve (near Luggate). 

The third block was to be erected along SH6 near the Isthmus Peak car park but, after months of negotiation, a final location could not be agreed by New Zealand Transport Authority and LINZ, so the TIF funding was redirected to new toilets built around Lake Hawea just before summer at John Creek and Willow Bay, Sam said.

The taxpayer funded TIF was established in 2017 for the development of tourism-related public infrastructure.

The fund was designed to provide financial support for local communities where tourism growth is placing pressure on existing infrastructure and where the community is unable to respond in a timely way without assistance. 

PHOTOS: Wānaka App