During a meeting on Tuesday, the Vincent Community Board gave its support to a final draft of a new reserve management plan for the 76ha public space, managed by the Central Otago District Council.
The council’s park officer Maria Burnett said the reserve was a "treasured place" that meant "a great deal to the community", and the plan was aimed at providing clarity on how it should be managed.
Ms Burnett said the final draft of the plan included the prohibition of all camping, four-wheel driving and motocross activities at the location — moves generally supported by those who submitted on an earlier draft of the plan.
However, after feedback, tweaks had been made to the draft to accommodate horse riders, who would be able to take to any designated track, she said.
The draft plan allowed for vehicle-use only on the formal access route into the reserve.
In a report presented to the meeting, Ms Burnett made clear the management plan was a policy document only and did not commit the council to providing funding for any specific projects within it.
She said some submitters had requested amenities such as toilets and picnic areas and, while the draft plan did not expressly include them, it did not exclude them if need, funding and approval for them was established at a later time.
The plan would now be put to the wider council for adoption, after which time it would become operative and enforceable.
— APL
