A start is due in about a month on the long-awaited extension to Wanaka's skateboard park on Pembroke Park.
Queenstown Lakes District Council project manager Trish Wrigley told the Otago Daily Times yesterday a contract had been signed with Auckland-based Jason Parkes, of Premium Skate Park Designs.
Work had been scheduled to begin in April but Mr Parkes was not available at that time.
Ms Wrigley said outline plans of the $344,000 extension were with the council and consent was ''in process''.
The skate park was first mooted eight years ago and includes a clover-leaf shaped concrete bowl.
Wanaka Skate Club president Eddie Spearing said yesterday one of the few remaining issues to be clarified was drainage.
The bowl in part of the extension would be 3m deep, which meant it could reach the water table when Lake Wanaka was high.
To ensure the bowl was not damaged when the water table was high, holes in the bottom would allow it to flood.
Construction is expected to take 16 to 18 weeks, during which time the skate park will be closed, for safety reasons.
Major funders are the council ($146,000), the Central Lakes Trust ($140,000), the Otago Community Trust ($40,000) and Wanaka Skate Club members ($18,000).
