The Dunedin City Council is seeking the views of residents in the wider Dunedin area on the future of 14 council-owned reserves around Otago Harbour.
The reserves are well-used, enjoyed and appreciated by Dunedin residents as they provide access to and encourage use of the harbour for a wide range of aquatic recreation activities.
The current management plan for the Otago Harbour reserves is being reviewed. People’s feedback will help to shape an updated draft management plan for the harbour reserves.
The plan aims to protect, maintain and enhance the recreational, landscape, amenity, ecological, cultural, historical and educational values of the reserves.
The harbour reserves included in the plan are at Andersons Bay Inlet, Bayfield, Broad Bay, Careys Bay, Deborah Bay, Glenfalloch jetty, Kitchener St, Macandrew Bay, Port Chalmers, Roseneath, Te Rauone, Vauxhall and Wellers Rock.
DCC parks and recreation acting group manager Heath Ellis said Dunedin people told council in the past that harbour reserves and their facilities were "excellent assets that should be protected".
"They are used by many people for activities such as fishing, boating, windsurfing, paddleboarding, swimming, walking, photography, driving, picnicking and bird-watching," Mr Ellis said.
"We want to hear what they value about the harbour reserves, how they use them, how they can be improved, what their problems are and how they can be solved.
"This could include things like demand for wharves, ramps and jetties, conservation, preservation of historic sites, pests, traffic, access, safety and signs.
"This feedback will help us make good decisions about how our harbour reserves are used and protected. The plan we prepare will reflect what Dunedin people value about these spaces."
People will also be able to have their say on the draft management plan for the harbour reserves later this year.
Submissions can be made at www.dunedin.govt.nz/consultation until April 1.
