Lake lovers urged to support Wanaka watersports facility

Wednesday, 30 April 2014, 10:35 am
Press Release: Scope Media

Lake lovers urged to show their support for Wanaka watersports facility

A charitable trust planning a community watersports facility for Wanaka’s lakefront is calling on locals to get behind their cause.

The Wanaka Watersports Facility Trust wants lake swimmers, kayakers, rowers, triathletes, multisport athletes, stand-up paddle boarders and other non-motorised watersports enthusiasts to support the provision of a multi-purpose building in Roys Bay Reserve in the Draft Wanaka Lakefront Reserves Management Plan.

The draft plan, released in March by Queenstown Lakes District Council, is currently out for public consultation till June 6.

The Wanaka Watersports Facility Trust is an initiative led by locals involved in the Wanaka Rowing Club, Wanaka Lake Swimmers and multisport disciplines. Volunteers from each organisation are currently working on plans for a building to store equipment associated with each sport. The facility will also have space for a small gym and showers and it will be accessible by wheelchair.

The Trust hopes the building will eventually gain resource consent to be situated at the western end of Roys Bay. Sympathetically designed to fit within the environment and with minimal visual impact, it’s hoped the facility will be built in front of the two giant Sequoia giganteum trees, beside an existing community barbeque and playground area and adjacent to Stoney Creek.

The Trust wants Wanaka residents and other lake users to show their support for the concept by submitting to the Council’s Draft Wanaka Lakefront Reserves Management Plan. The draft plan document acknowledges the intentions of the Trust.

“Wanaka has an incredibly strong following of passionate and dedicated water sportspeople, but at present there is no suitable location for storing equipment associated with the local clubs and other users,” Trust chairman Michael Sidey says.

“The Trust’s planned facility is centrally-located, caters to able-bodied and disabled people and it is consistent with the objectives of the draft management plan. It provides a safe environment to carry out non-motorised watersports.”

Sidey, who is also a trustee of the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation, adds: “The Trust is doing everything possible to address the needs and concerns of everyone in the community. We urge everyone who uses the lake to submit in favour of the Trust so that we are able to proceed with our plans. It’s for the good of the whole Wanaka community.”

Submissions should be sent to Queenstown Lakes District Council.

ENDS

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