Five years ago it was a debate bigger than Brexit - on a Wanaka scale.
Where should the town's new sports facility be located?In September 2008, 47% of 368 submitters wanted it to replace the Lakeview Holiday Park near the centre of town, while 43% favoured a "greenfields site'' on the outskirts of town.
But unlike Britain, the majority did not get their way.
A pivotal Queenstown Lakes District Council meeting on March 1, 2011 voted 9-2 for the greenfields site where the Wanaka Recreation Centre now stands in the new Three Parks subdivision.
One of those who fought the holiday park corner was Wanaka businessman Michael Saunders.
He chaired the working party which carried out a variety of public consultations in 2008 and then recommended to the council "after careful consideration'' of all submissions that the facility be sited at the showgrounds/campground area.
And he told the Otago Daily Times this week he stood by that recommendation.
"I still think there was an opportunity to make a wonderful facility on the foreshore of Wanaka and I still believe that.
"My view on that hasn't actually changed.''
The council, he said, asked the working party to make a recommendation "and then took no notice of it''.
Mr Saunders said he was invited to yesterday's official opening at the rival site and would have attended, but was going to Australia.
Deputy mayor Lyal Cocks led the opposing greenfields lobby and stands by the decision to locate the building where it is now, mainly because of its more central location.
"I was arguing let's look to the future and put it strategically in a position where the town's going to grow and we have got space for expansion.''
Mr Cocks, who was Wanaka Community Board chairman at the time, recalled the council had its biggest ever public forum at the 2011 meeting.
Forty-seven people were given three minutes each to make a submission, with the ODT counting 25 for the greenfields site and 20 for the camping ground.
"It was a big, big issue,'' Mr Cocks said.
Other factors in favour of the chosen site were that there were no neighbours to upset, there was ample room for parking, it did not disrupt the rugby club, and the camping ground could continue providing holiday and worker accommodation close to town.
"I still believe strongly it was the correct decision,'' Mr Cocks said.
As he put it to his council colleagues during the 2011 debate: "In 30 to 40 years, I hope they will be sitting back saying we did the right thing.''
