Arts centre wants to stay

Spike Wademan.
Spike Wademan.
A plan to call for public feedback on how to redevelop a piece of central Queenstown land has provoked a warning shot from the arts community.

A report for tomorrow's Queenstown Lakes District Council meeting recommends calling on residents to give ideas for the future use of reserve land adjoining Stanley St.

The land, which lies between Stanley, Shotover, Henry and Beetham Sts, is leased by Queenstown Playcentre, two arts groups and the Jigsaw service for people affected by abuse. It is also used for unsealed car parking.

The site has been recommended as suitable for housing a new council building, and figures in long-term council plans for a car park building and the first stage of a CBD bypass route.

Sue and Spike Wademan, who were instrumental in setting up the Queenstown Arts Centre on the corner of Stanley and Ballarat Sts, say the resort's visual arts community would strongly oppose any proposal to move the centre.

Mr Wademan said its location at a busy intersection on the tourist walking route from accommodation was the key to its success.

''The location is the only reason it works.''

The council did not need an office building in such a central site, he said.

''Offices can be stuck anywhere. They don't have to be in the CBD.''

Mrs Wademan said the centre had just been upgraded with a new roof and insulation, and community grants had been used to enhance the gallery space.

''A lot of blood, sweat and tears - not to mention money - has gone into it.''

She feared for the future of visual arts in the resort if the centre was moved.

''A town without an arts community is a town without a soul.''

Queenstown Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Trust chairwoman Margaret O'Hanlon said she wanted to hear more details of the plan, but was relaxed about a public discussion on redeveloping the land.

The council had been supportive of the trust, and appeared to recognise that QPAC and the Queenstown Arts Centre were ''essential'' to the resort.

Her trust's building on Ballarat St was in ''bad shape'', and any concern she felt about the consultation process was balanced by ''excitement at what else might be available''.

''I have faith we will be accommodated somewhere.''

In a press statement, Mayor Vanessa van Uden said the council was not proposing any immediate changes to existing leases and arrangements, but the land was a ''gateway precinct for downtown Queenstown'' and had many potential uses.

The ideas generated would inform the development of a long-term master plan for the site.

''At this stage, everything is on the table.''

In a report for councillors, corporate services general manager Meaghan Miller said the site was ''arguably the most important land-holding in the Queenstown CBD''.

Any development would need to contribute to ''better transport solutions'' as well as a community legacy.

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