The Clutha District Council recently adopted a reserve management plan for the central Balclutha park as it seeks to protect what is there and enhance the area with improvements over the coming years.
The park is regarded as one of the more culturally and historically important reserves in South Otago and the council has allocated about $90,000 over the next few years towards making improvements and maintenance of the area.
A key feature will be redeveloping the duck pond, including new seating and connections with nearby walkways, while the Charlotte St entrance will be improved and car parking there increased.
The council has set aside $60,000 over the next three years for these projects.
Another $5000 will be spent each on signage and new picnic tables and seats in the next financial year.
The council wants to develop an entrance to the park from View St by the riverbank and there could be an opportunity to establish a garden of memories from that entrance to the disused band rotunda.
The park has been part of the Balclutha township since the early 1900s.
It was originally owned by the Naish family, who ran a nursery on the Charlotte St site.
In the 1950s, the park was offered to the Balclutha borough council by the Naish family.
During the 1950s, the Balclutha Rotary Club and Jaycees planted trees, the Balclutha Bowling Club established a green on the site and a band rotunda was moved there by the Balclutha Brass Band committee.
