Decision urged on facilities

The Central Otago District Council's (CODC) parks and recreation manager has recommended the council commit to a district plan for the region's future sports facilities, after councillors twice put off a decision because of concerns Central Otago would miss out on facilities at the expense of larger centres.

Mat Begg's report will be discussed at this Wednesday's full council meeting. He is advising the council to contribute $20,000 towards a Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes plan to develop a ''strategic vision and plan for the future development of appropriate and sustainable sport and recreation facilities'' in the two districts.

It will be the third time a report from Mr Begg supporting the study has been discussed, after councillors decided in March and May to delay the decision because of concerns Central Otago would fare badly through the project, and asked for more information about studies done in other areas.

The suggestion for the plan has come from Sport Otago, but the Central Lakes Trust (CLT) - which would be a major funder of the study - is also pushing for the plan.

Some councillors supported the project, but opposition to it was high from councillors who were concerned small towns such as Roxburgh, Ranfurly and Alexandra would miss out on facilities that population growth suggested should go to Cromwell, Queenstown and Wanaka.

Maniototo councillor Stu Duncan was particularly critical of the idea, saying it was not for Sport Otago or funders such as the CLT to decide where new facilities went, and if groups wanted to advocate for new facilities in their regions they should be entitled to do so.

Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan was also concerned, saying the creation of a plan could result in the Central Otago district losing its autonomy, and decisions about where to site new facilities would be made by funders according to ''the master plan''.

Mr Cadogan said he had spoken to another mayor in a district where a study had been done and was told ''the little guy doesn't win in that situation, and that troubles me deeply''.

Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble told councillors in May the plan would ''absolutely not'' promote Queenstown Lakes' interests over Central Otago's, but would avoid duplication and allow for future planning.

Mr Begg said other regions were also drawing up similar plans and the Central Otago/Queenstown Lakes district plan would form part of a region-wide Sport Otago strategy encompassing metropolitan Dunedin, Waitaki and Clutha, ''as well as the influencing factors related to South Canterbury and Southland''.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) had committed to the plan, regardless of whether the CODC did, he said.

pam.jones@odt.co.nz