The modern facility, under construction in Hazlett Rd, will replace the organisation’s ageing central Dunedin premises and reflected a future-focused, financially responsible approach to delivering better value for fishing and hunting licence holders, the organisation says.
Otago Fish & Game chief executive Ian Hadland said the new base would streamline operations and provide a more practical working environment for staff, councillors and visitors.
"Our new headquarters reflects careful stewardship of licence-holder funds," he said.
"We’ve reinvested the proceeds from the sale of our Dunedin site to create a building that’s modern, practical and fit for purpose — with little extra cost to our reserves."
The new single-storey building would include office, workshop and storage spaces together under one roof, Mr Hadland said.
The transition was expected to take place in mid-November.
"Our central city building was too large for our six staff, expensive to maintain and would have required significant investment to meet future building and earthquake standards," he said.
"This new building is the right size for our needs, modern and easier to manage."
The new build would have a rooftop solar power system to reduce emissions and operating costs while supporting the organisation’s electric vehicle fleet, Mr Hadland said.
Video-conferencing tools would reduce the need for travel, and the Mosgiel location offered easier access to field operations in Central Otago and the South.
"The new base sets us up to deliver on our mission to anglers, hunters and habitat for years to come," Mr Hadland said.
"We’re looking forward to the move away from the central city and closer to the angling and hunting action and the resources they depend upon."
The construction project was being led by Dunedin company W. Hamilton Building Ltd and was running "on time and on budget".
The organisation’s Dunedin office was at the corner of Hanover and Harrow Sts. — Allied Media
