Decision awaited on Wanaka's sports complex

Stakeholders are awaiting a decision on the location of Wanaka's proposed $10.6 million sports complex.

Landowners and staff from the Queenstown Lakes District Council met this week to discuss the site.

Debate about where to put the new sports complex, including an indoor stadium, new playing fields and eventually an $11.5 million aquatic centre, has raged in the town for more than two years.

While a council-appointed working party supported developing the complex on the Wanaka showgrounds and neighbouring Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park, hundreds of people opposed closing the town centre camping ground and argued for it to be built on a Ballantyne Road greenfields site.

In November, Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she wanted a decision made on the future location of the sports complex, saying the debate had gone on for too long.

Dean stated âthe location of the sports complex has been up in the air for more than two years now and I think the people of Wanaka deserve a decision now.

"A facility of this kind is severely lacking in Wanaka and the sooner the bureaucrats can put pen to paper and decide on a location, the sooner construction work can actually begin.

"I understand that Queenstown Lakes District Council staff have recently reviewed options for locating the complex.

"This is a positive step, and while I can understand that they want to get the location right, I would suggest that the time for talk is over and that the people of Wanaka need a decision now."