Workshop studies gardens plan

Lighting, playground space, signs and parking were among the issues raised at a community workshop on the new reserve management plan for the Queenstown Gardens this week.

The workshop was organised by the Queenstown Lakes District Council to get feedback and suggestions on how the gardens should be managed.

About 30 people attended the workshop, which included an hour-long walk around the gardens.

Community services manager Paul Wilson said the new management plan would shape the council's policy decisions on the gardens in the future. He said one suggestion was to move the playground at Marine Pde into the gardens.

"The equipment is nearly at the end of its life. It's popular but it's 20-something years old and could be a lot better," he said.

On the walk-around, he asked questions about the need for more trees, encouraging or limiting events and weddings in the gardens, the need for an ampitheatre, and whether there is a demand for a flying fox activity. He said the garden lacked walkways and a new entrance was also a possibility.

The gardens were a great place for walking dogs, but they had to be kept on a lead.

Proposed changes to parking in Queenstown would affect the gardens. Some parking spaces at the ice rink could become metered.

"The car park is full of [cars belonging to] people working in Queenstown so we have to look at that," he said.

Parking was one of the biggest issues in Queenstown, but compliance and enforcement were a challenge for the council.

Former Queenstown Lakes mayor Warren Cooper said the gardens were under utilised and workers needed to park in the gardens.

Jeri Elliot, of the Aspiring Arts and Culture Trust, said art donations were welcome, but should be vetted by the trust, which would be mindful of not cluttering the gardens.

Mr Wilson informed the group the existing plan was prepared by the Department of Conservation in 1987 and did not include all of the Queenstown Gardens land.

"In particular, the new plan will need to include the council-administered reserve adjacent to the entrance road, which is where the ice rink and skate park are located," he said.

Feedback from the community was needed before a draft plan could be developed so that all issues, concerns and suggestions could be incorporated.

"Suggestions received will be given full consideration and will help to inform the draft management plan, which will then be prepared by the council for wider consultation," he said.

The council was receiving feedback until March 31.

It would take six to eight weeks to collate the suggestions and write a draft plan, which would then go out for public consultation for at least 45 days.

A hearings panel would consider the submissions and a final plan would be prepared for adoption by the council.