About 80 people gathered in the township's community centre to ask questions and provide feedback on the Waitaki District Council's proposal to lease Waitaki Lakes camping grounds to private operators.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher and Waitaki District Council recreation manager Erick van der Spek set out details of the proposal and fielded questions from campers and ratepayers.
The council is proposing to enter into long-term contracts or lease camping areas to private providers for up to 21 years and grouping the camping grounds for lease as Parsons Rock, Boat Harbour, Loch Laird and the Wildlife Reserve as one group, Ohau C and Falstone as the second and Sailors Cutting on its own.
Lake Middleton would be returned to Crown management.
The 90-minute meeting canvassed issues which included: public access under private management, a loss of the ''Kiwi-style'' camping style, grounds being overdeveloped by private operators and rises in camping fees.
The general consensus at the Otematata Community Centre yesterday was campers got everything they wanted out of the areas at present, although some improvements to existing facilities were needed.
Ratepayers subsidise camping activity by between $25,000 and $125,000 each year.
About 80% of camping ground users come from outside the Waitaki district.
Just under half of those present at yesterday's meeting identified themselves as ratepayers.
If the proposal goes ahead, the council will run a tender process and it is anticipated leaseholders will buy the current infrastructure and any upgrades or development of their areas would be the sole responsibility of the leaseholders.
The council says camping areas will continue to offer ''Kiwi-style'' camping and fee increases will not be able to exceed the Consumer Price Index without consent.
Improvements could include kitchens, coin-operated laundries, communal lounge areas, tourist cabins, small-scale backpacker lodges and playgrounds.
Yesterday's public meeting became heated at times. Concerns were raised about developments that could be carried out by private providers which would detract from the ''Kiwi-style'' atmosphere the Waitaki lakes camping areas were known for and could put strain on camping grounds and hotels in Otematata, Kurow and Otematata, some of which were struggling for business.
Others spoke of a ''loss of control''.
Mr Kircher and Mr van der Spek repeatedly urged those voicing concerns to make public submissions, which close on January 23.
''One of the issues is making sure we don't constrain anyone who does take it over so much that they can't actually make a profit, but on the other hand ... it is about making sure that some of those protections are put in there,'' Mr Kircher said.
''That's why it's important that concerns are voiced and we do incorporate those, as much as we can, into any lease agreement.''
Asked if the council had considered alternative business models that might make management profitable and ease the ratepayer contribution, Mr Kircher said the other models had been discussed, but not in full detail.
The council hired a property consultant about two years ago to investigate the best way to manage camps and decided to investigate leasing the camps, Mr van der Spek said.
''Obviously, after the consultation, if that option is no longer on the table, then we'll have to go back and look at the others.''
If the council continued to manage the reserves, it would not be in a position to invest additional money to attract new user groups, Mr van der Spek said.
''We want to promote more use, rather than less, because it does bring benefits to [the Waitaki Valley],'' Mr Kircher said.
''We know that the camps can be run better - whether we can do a better job, or if there's someone else doing it - that's what we're talking about.''
Mr van der Spek said there would be potential for a group of campers to form a committee and take over management.
Long-term Otematata resident Vicky Munro said the facilities around the lakes needed to be improved.
About 60 years ago, the land around Loch Laird was taken off her late husband's family, she said.
''It was taken off the families under the Public Works Act ... and it was supposed to go back to the families under the Public Works Act and my mother-in-law ... said at the time the only reason that she would never ask for that [Loch Laird], land to come back is as long as public had full access to that land, and it was Kiwi-camping,'' Mrs Munro said.
Mr Kircher said the proposed change was not ''just about saving rates ... it's about actually improving the service and to have more people enjoying it''.
After submission hearings on February 4, the council will hold a workshop and the draft management plan will be updated, before being taken to the Community Services Committee meeting and two weeks later, the council meeting.
At both meetings the public will have an opportunity to be heard.
All information relating to the review can be found at www.waitaki.govt.nz.
