It is the second site the group has put forward for the children's recreation area on the Maniototo Park in Ranfurly, which is on reserve land administered by Central Otago District Council.
Ranfurly Recreation Park chairman Alan East said the recreation area was desperately needed for children in the eight to 14-year-old age group as they had nothing else to do in the region.
There was a junior playground next to the pool but the equipment only suited children under the age of eight, he said.
However, only three members turned up for the park committee meeting this week and they were concerned community support was dwindling.
‘‘We need to have a committee of seven people to basically agree on the use of the area and support it. Just to get it off the ground and supervise things when it's up and running and maybe organise one or two events for the kids,'' Mr East said.
He was alerted to the need for a facility when children started coming to play at his Ranfurly Holiday Park, owned by him and his wife Rona.
He approached Maniototo's volunteer radio station Burn 729AM, which backed his call to establish a recreation park.
By approaching the community and fundraising, about $7000 needed for the $10,000 project had been raised.
‘‘Six local businesses are going to supply or cover services to the equivalent of $1000 each - so we've got a fair bit on the go,'' Mr East said.
‘‘We're hoping to build it in the first week of the [September] school holidays.''
He said there was no resource consent required as the site planned was already zoned as a recreation reserve.
‘‘We won't need a building permit as [the structure is] all under 1m high.''
Committee member Amie Pont said there were about 25 people at the initial meeting for the park and she was surprised at the lack of support to the meeting this week.
‘‘People have come on board to contribute to the actual building [of the park] but just with the committee side, we really need those members to come on board,'' she said.
Community facility officer Janice Remnant said she was waiting for the recreation group's final proposal so she could prepare a report for Maniototo Community Board to consider.
‘‘The first time the report went to the board they accepted it in principle,'' Ms Remnant said.
‘‘It's a bit early yet to say this is going to be the site.''
There could be other sites suggested in the report and the final decision would be up to the board, she said.
Maniototo Community Board chairman Richard Smith said it was a good initiative for the youth of Maniototo. ‘‘The board's in full support of it going ahead,'' he said. He said the proposed new site was ideal. ‘‘It's a safe area for the youth to play in. ‘‘It's really just wasted land that's not used at the moment.'' He said the site was part of an existing car park but had a rolling bank where cars didn't park which could be incorporated into the recreation park.
‘‘When mum and dad come to watch the rugby or cricket, it's nice and handy to that and they can still keep an eye on Johnny, or whoever, while they're watching the other games.''
The old ice skating rink sometimes used by motorcyclists had previously been mooted for the site but was considered too far away from town. The new site was much closer, he said.
