Facilitator Kathy Dado said more than 600 respondents of all ages responded to the online and hard-copy survey, which asked three questions, 1. What do you love about your community?
2. What could be even better? and
3. How could you help?
Ms Dado said the environment and the supportive, friendly and close-knit community were what respondents valued most about Wanaka, but the survey indicated a rising level of concern these things were "slipping away" as the town grew.
Wanaka was changing and was no longer a town where you knew everyone at the supermarket, she said.
"People want to see better planning and management of growth, with attention to infrastructure issues like parking and transport and a more connected and supported community."
Housing affordability was also a major concern. Link had summarised the survey results in a submission to the 2017-18 annual plan and would shortly be sharing them with key stakeholders and with the public at a forum next month, Ms Dado said. Link, a central government-supported, locally driven community development effort, was "already working at the coalface of community connection" and planned to launch a new community fund to support grassroots community groups financially by matching volunteer time with money, she said. More survey results would follow, she said.
