The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony has come up with a two-stage redevelopment and is asking the council to approve stage 1 immediately, followed by stage 2 in the next financial year.
Colony manager Jason Gaskill said the original proposal was estimated at $561,000, but once tenders had been received the lowest was $695,164. After that, the plan was revised to reduce the cost and the redevelopment put over two stages.
The proposal for stage 1, costing $186,000, was to build a new viewing grandstand and upgrade the day track. Stage 2 was to expand existing areas at the colony and build new storage and an office.
However, the redevelopment would not affect rates. There was a carry-forward of $500,000 and the rest was already approved from reserves, depreciation and a projected increase in revenue. Any shortfall could be funded by a loan which would be repaid by the colony.
