The cabins — with four erected on the park and another six either under construction or ordered — will be moved from the park.
The Clutha District Council is set to sign off on the Milton Reserve Management Plan at its meeting next Thursday and with it Taylor Park will return to its previous state.
At a previous meeting, the council decided to move the cabins but that became clouded when it was told, at the same meeting, the camping ground on the park would have to close as it was not financially viable.
The new plan will lead to the cabins at Taylor Park being removed, a dog park provided on the old tennis court area, Fire and Emergency NZ activities provided for in Taylor Park using existing structures and the campground returned to its previous area.
The campground footprint would increase from 3500sq m to 4300sq m.
The proposal for the cabins first came to light in June 2021, when the Clutha District Council entered a partnership with the Department of Corrections, to provide additional accommodation at Taylor Park.
Ten cabins were to be sited on the park to house temporary workers.
Council provided all materials and Corrections provided the labour and tools to build the cabins. Prisoners could learn trade qualifications. The first four cabins were moved to Taylor Park in September last year.
Public opposition to the cabins, which had already started as infrastructure was built, began to climb steeply.
With the lack of clarity provided by the 2017 Milton Reserve Management Plan, the council agreed to review the Taylor Park section of the plan.
Nearly 200 submissions were received.
The review was completed in March this year and councillors then decided the existing cabins would be removed from Taylor Park and that no new cabins be sited at the park.
That though will cost. To build and fit out a cabin cost $57,200. To move the four cabins and store them for six months could cost another $15,000. Locations would have to be found for the other cabins.
Cr Bruce Vollweiler, of the Bruce ward, said yesterday it was somewhat disappointing the council had to backtrack from the cabins sited at the park but it had not consulted well enough.
He felt there was a good number of people, perhaps not a majority, who supported the cabins.
He believed the camping ground had a lot of potential, and the cabins would add to that.
Milton resident Ray Powell said originally residents thought the cabins would be on the perimeter or round the back of the park.
There was disbelief in the community, when it was discovered, they were being sited on the recreational green space.
"Phone calls fell on deaf ears, so we decided to get a team together, to bring to council’s attention they had got it wrong.
"We were reasonably confident we were going to win. Some members of the council slowed the process down and unfortunately it has cost the ratepayers."
He said councils must stick to their plans rather than be seen wandering all over the place.
"We can’t stress how important it is for councils to consult with the public they serve — who employ them.
"It is just as important for the public to provide feedback to councils through the submission process."
