All 176 acres of Omakau’s multi-purpose recreation grounds will come under scrutiny as the writing of a management plan gets underway.

The area is utilised and looked after by hockey, squash and rugby clubs as well as community groups and part of it is leased to the Omakau Golf Club. The Omakau Recreation Reserve Committee runs an onsite camping ground and maintains some of the reserve. 

The Central Otago District Council (CODC) is required to have management plans for all its recreational reserves and with a new community hub already being developed at the site, CODC planning and strategy parks officer Nikki Aaron told the Vincent Community Board (VCB) it was an ideal time to create a plan.

“The community are working very hard on the new hub there. There’s already been a lot of consultation done on the use of that space.”

The VCB earlier approved funding of the community hub in its Long-Term Plan of up to $1M, through a loan, reserve fund contribution and general reserve contribution(a third each).

The whole reserve had “enthusiastic and committed volunteers” who helped manage the space on behalf of the council and the community.

The new plan would provide for future development and reflect any pressures, constraints, conflicts and opportunities for the management and development of the reserve. It would also help accommodate growth experienced in the Omakau community, Nikki’s report stated.

User groups will be involved in creating the new plan which will be open for public submission for two months.

Board chairman Martin McPherson said, in approving the move, it was a good thing to be happening for the community of Omakau – a place currently being “bashed” by flooding.