A ''Hydro highway'' scenic tourist route being promoted by the Waimate District Council has been rejected by the Waitaki District Council as having no tangible benefit for Waitaki.
Waimate came up with the idea to mark a route through the Waitaki Valley hydro power stations and lakes, starting at the State Highway 1 northern turn-off to Waimate.
Waimate council chief executive Bede Carran said the route would run along State Highway 82, cross the Waitaki River to SH83 at Kurow, and join SH8 at Omarama.
The New Zealand Transport Agency was receptive to the proposal, but it also required the agreement of the Waitaki District Council because it included part of its district.
''At this stage, the Waitaki ... council, through its tourism arm, has some reservations about the effect on tourism on SH83 from, Kurow (east to) Pukeuri.''
Waimate would continue to pursue the initiative because it believed it benefited a number of communities and would promote tourism along SH82 and SH83, Mr Bede said.
However, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher was not so positive and said that, at this stage, it would not be adopting the proposal.
''We believe the negative impact on our communities east of Kurow, including Oamaru, is too great to promote the suggested route.''
Waitaki wanted to work with its northern neighbour, but any proposal had to be mutually beneficial.
Mr Kircher would be happier with having the route marked from SH1 at Pukeuri up SH83 to Kurow, as well as through Waimate, but still rejected the proposal at this stage.
''We would want to see a tangible increase in net benefit for our district before going ahead.''
He had discussed this with his counterpart in Waimate, Mayor Craig Rowley, and stated Waitaki would be more likely to support good signage at Omarama to get more people off the SH8 inland route and on to the Waitaki Valley route.
