A new community-driven initiative to ‘reset’ a Wānaka town centre masterplan was formally launched with a presentation to the Wānaka Community Board (WCB) last Thursday (May 12).

The aim of the Wānaka Heart initiative is to coordinate an integrated town centre development which will feed into the council’s planning and channel funding to where it is most needed

Its key vision is to optimise ‘the lakeside heart of Wānaka’ as a thriving, welcoming community centre.

Behind the self-funded initiative is a cross-sector steering group, comprising local representatives of the community, schools, retailers, design, business and property owners, which has been meeting monthly since a public meeting in July last year. 

The outcome of that meeting was a desire for the community - rather than the council - to coordinate the town centre’s development.

The council would continue to be in charge of planning and funding of the CBD development.

The masterplan will cover the wider CBD and Roys Bay, from Wānaka Station park to Anderson Heights and Mount Aspiring College, group spokesperson Howie Howard (Ignite Wānaka) said. 

The plan will build on insights gained from previous studies and town centre plans but will also address increasing competition from Three Parks and recent growth and community development, Howie said.

He said some of the key challenges identified included Wānaka’s increasing population and accommodating “consultation fatigue” which might discourage some local feedback. 

Steering group member Amanda Dorset told the WCB the group wanted input from the wider community as the plan developed.

“We want to invite more community representatives to be part of the steering group. It’s important to get people on board who have… been in this community a long time and who understand the character of the town... to make it a truly representative group…,” she said.

As well as the WCB’s endorsement for the project, the group was also seeking the WCB’s help to make connections with various stakeholders, to provide feedback and review the developing plans.

Following this week’s launch the group hopes to meet with the Queenstown Lakes District Council, Otago Regional Council, Waka Kotahi and mana whenua.

The group plans public presentations of a draft masterplan via open days and web based feedback posts in July. Meetings and events are also being planned with the sector groups such as the schools and businesses. 

Plans will be refined and represented to the public again in September. It is anticipated that the final masterplan report, including proposed development costs and a two-stage timeline, will be presented to the WCB early in 2023 for adoption.

PHOTOS: Wānaka App