Stadium use: Dog walking, dope growing suggested

How would you like to walk your dog, graze your sheep, or stroll across the roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium?

These are some of the suggestions people have made to help the Dunedin City Council increase revenue from and community use of the struggling stadium.

Last month, Mayor Dave Cull called for suggestions from the public on how to make the most of the stadium.

People were invited to make their feedback on a website or through a survey sent to the 625 members of the People's Panel. The council also contacted more than 220 organisations that had used the stadium for their views.

The council received 487 responses which will be discussed at the council's stadium model subcommittee tomorrow.

Many people took the opportunity to make other suggestions regarding the stadium, including using it as a dog walking venue (risk of dog faeces in turf means it not an option), including a climbing wall and swimming pool and using it as an IMAX theatre (all of which had been considered).

Others were critical about the sound system, food and drink prices, signage and management.

There were 37 suggestions made on how to increase revenue at the stadium, a report to the subcommittee said.

Seventy-five respondents suggested a greater variety of events and use were needed, 24 proposed original stadium supporters be asked for money and donations, and 23 made submissions on charging for parking or establishing a park-and-ride system, which stadium officials were working on.

Relocating the Otago Regional Council to the east end of the stadium was suggested by two respondents, as was fundraising through a sausage sizzle.

The idea of creating a special lottery and creating a walk across the top of the stadium were both suggestions that stadium management would consider, the report said.

Ten ideas were proposed on how to reduce costs, with 49 people suggesting reviewing or reducing staff, management and consultancy costs, and 35 believed more volunteers should be used.

The most popular idea for increasing community use of the stadium was by reducing costs for its use (73), followed by increased promotion (59) and reducing ticket prices (38).

Other suggestions included using it as a sports ground with a small entry fee when no other events were scheduled and setting up a website for bookings.

 

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The feedback

 - Grow and sell medical opium or cannabis.
 - Convert into indoor garden.
 - Lease pitch for grazing.
 - Tours including a walk across roof.
 - Charge tourists a bed tax.
 - Introduce second-tier ground membership.
 - Create a fund for people to give towards community events.
 - Sell stadium merchandise.

Source: DCC report

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rebecca.fox@odt.co.nz [2]