People won’t pay $25 to visit Gardens

Residents have closed the door on the idea of a visitor charge into Hamilton Gardens.

Another piece of Hamilton Mayor Andrew King’s proposed budget for the city’s 10-Year Plan includes a $25 entry fee to the popular tourist destination.

It would earn $12 million for the garden’s ongoing development but reduce economic benefit.

And a majority of residents wouldn’t expect visitors to pay.

On a Hamilton Press Neighbourly post, the general consensus was that $25 was far too high a fee.

Many favoured more than the one donation box sitting at the garden’s entrance.

Some residents preferred keeping the charge to themed gardens, while some suggested a small fee could help control the crowd.

But at $25 a head, there’s got to be a catch, Sally Sariman said.

‘‘Does that include lunch at the cafe or just for them to walk around? Is there a guide to guide them during the walk?’’ she said.

But tour operators Leisure Time Tours and Mana Tours NZ believe tour groups will go elsewhere and take their money with them. King first floated the idea of a $25 charge in March, and councillor Angela O’Leary was opposed to it.

‘‘I’ve looked at the facts. We’ve been down this road before,’’ she said.

‘‘The evidence states that introducing an entry fee will significantly damage the reputation of Hamilton Gardens, and consequently revenue.’’

On her Facebook page, O’Leary wrote that Auckland Museum maintained visitor numbers of around one million a year before they introduced a ‘‘requested donation’’ of $5.

Visitor numbers plummeted by 50 per cent, she said.

‘‘They changed it so residents were free, and a year later visitor numbers only recovered to 800,000.

‘‘National Gallery of Canada went the other way and removed an entry fee. Visitor numbers increased by 75 per cent.’’

King will present his full longterm plan budget proposal at a meeting in early December, where councillors can debate what should get money and what shouldn’t.