24 hour poll: Queenstown or Wānaka for multi million dollar sports fields?

by Peter Newport - Sep 07, 2024

The Queenstown Lakes District Council is shortly to lock off their Long Term Plan that includes an additional $6.5 million for three sports fields at the "toxic house" site on Ladies Mile.

But technically it’s not too late for councillors to decide on another use for Queenstown’s controversial $20 million total investment in the site at 516 Ladies Mile.

The LTP includes QLDC’s “preferred” Option 1 plan to bring forward $8 million of sports and recreation spend, a move that will produce a further rates rise of over 2% across two years. Most of the money - a further $6.5 million on top of the $14 million land purchase - goes on 516 Ladies Mile (3 sports fields and a community centre – using the old Luggate hall) plus new heating systems for Queenstown and Wānaka swimming pools and around $400,000, mainly for existing Wānaka sports field lighting.

So – what do you think? Here’s some options that you can vote on in a 24 hour Crux poll from 4.00 pm Saturday September 7 until 4.00 pm Sunday September 8.

Here’s the link.

  1. Scrap the Ladies Mile sports field plan and use the land/money for worker accommodation.
  2. Yes – spend the money as per Option 1 in the LTP.
  3. Scrap the current sports field plan and propose the site be used for a new QLDC council building. Sell the Project Manawa site in the Queenstown CBD to fund construction and produce a surplus for Wānaka sports field or debt/rates reduction.
  4. Scrap the current Ladies Mile plan and spend $6.5 million on Wānaka sports and recreation projects.
  5. Other – Comment.

Take the poll now. Closes 4.00 pm Sunday, September 8. Results published by 5.30 Sunday, September 8th.

Main image: Only part of the "toxic house" remains at 516 Ladies Mile but the cost to the ratepayer so far is over $14 million.

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