The former St John building in the Brownston St car park has been offered to the Queenstown Lakes District Council for one dollar.
APL Property manager Joanne Conroy has recommended the Wanaka Community Board accept the gift when it considers the matter at today's 9.30am meeting at the Lake Wanaka Centre. St John moved into a new station in Link Way nearly 10 years ago but has maintained the lease on its former home and sublet it to various community groups.
Ms Conroy said in a report to the council dated October 26, the Order of St John South Island no longer wanted the building as the subleases were not generating significant funding and the order felt an ageing building would be a liability.
However, there were other council and community uses for the building that would not cost a great deal to sustain. They included library storage, meeting rooms and offices.
"The only potential cost will be at the time it is to be demolished and, hopefully, by then it would have earned its keep," Ms Conroy said.
Minor repair and decorating costs and any legal costs incurred during the transfer of ownership and surrender of the land lease could be covered by the council's existing property budget, she said.
The lower portion of the building was built in 1975 and the top storey added in 1986.
Also to be considered at today's board meeting is the renewal of Wanaka Wastebusters' lease at its Ballantyne Rd premises.
Wastebusters' licence expires in February next year and although the charitable organisation recently lost its recycling collection contract, it is seeking a renewal for another 35 years.
Ms Conroy has suggested a 10-year term, with two rights of renewal for 10 years and one right of renewal for five years.
Ms Conroy said the long lease would enable Wastebusters to reassure potential funders that its tenure was secure.
Although the land would not be available during that time for the council to use, there were no other obvious uses anticipated for the site.
"Another option is to have a shorter term with some rights of renewal so that the society can review its position and direction from time to time rather than binding future members for too long a period.
The renewals suggested give Wastebusters the right to renew, if they wish, but do not allow the council to terminate," she said.
The site would be used for resource recovery activities, including recycling and storage. Retail, education, and a wide range of other environmental and associated activities would also be permitted.
Because the Wastebusters site is on council-owned freehold land, any decision by the Wanaka Community Board to grant the lease must also be referred to the council or its property subcommittee.
