A floating pontoon jetty for the use of private and commercial boat operators is being considered for Lake Wanaka.
A report by Queenstown Lakes District Council senior property manager Dan Cruickshank to a council meeting in Wanaka today suggests buying a 20m pontoon for $5000.
The pontoon was salvaged from the Milford Sound Underwater Observatory, and is now understood to be owned by Central Machine Hire, of Wanaka.
It would be positioned in Roys Bay, just west of the council owned boat ramp and the Wanaka Marina.
The all up cost of buying and installing the jetty could be in the region of $200,000, Mr Cruickshank said.
His report recommends the council allocates $6000 towards buying the pontoon before it was sold to ''another party'', and moving it to a council property.
Roys Bay had a limited number of jetties available to the public and commercial operators, he said, and additional facilities would be needed as the area's population grew.
The council is introducing permits for commercial operators wanting to use council owned structures, with charges likely to come into effect on July 1.
Mr Cruickshank said there was potential for the council to save money by buying the second hand pontoon, ''if it decides to construct a new jetty of this type''.
''The amounts of savings are not yet confirmed, however are estimated at $50,000 plus GST when compared to other new off the shelf floating jetties available for purchase.''
If it did not prove suitable, it could be sold to recover part or all of the purchase costs.
The idea of buying the pontoon came from Wanaka councillor Calum MacLeod, Mr Cruickshank said.
Cr MacLeod had indicated up to six commercial operators might be interested in gaining a permit to operate from the pontoon.
Mr Cruickshank suggested detailed planning work, including the location for the jetty, be deferred until after the reserve network plan for Roys Bay had been completed in 2016.
''Significant planning'' would be required to ensure the jetty was ''correctly positioned, fit for purpose and durable'', he said.
The project was likely to require a notified resource consent application, Land Information New Zealand lake bed licence and building consent.
That was expected to take up to a year to complete.
An ''initial scope'' of the work required indicated the overall cost, including construction, at about $200,000 plus GST, Mr Cruickshank said.
