Wakepark plan defended
A member of the public may have called the planned wakepark for Aotea Lagoon ‘‘a desecration’’ but it didn’t seem to faze Paul Marlow much.
A partner in Aquacom, which plans to develop the lagoon area into a cable-ski wakepark supported by five towers, Mr Marlow presented his plans to a Friends of Aotea meeting at Aotea College on November 17.
About a dozen people were present to discuss the proposal, which has been planned and reported in the media since 2010.
He disputed concerns for loss of amenity, water quality, spray wetting pedestrians, noise, and whether alternative sites – less used than Aotea Lagoon – had been soundly considered.
‘‘We looked at 11 locations around the region and this is the best. It’s sheltered, it’s not choppy and we think it will complement the users of the park.’’
After a short video, which showed the machinery noise would reach 45 decibels – ‘‘the level of a heat pump or a fridge’’, said Mr Marlow – questions from the floor included further queries on noise and how other lagoon users would be affected.
Although one resident said those who ran remote-controlled boats would have their opportunities taken away, Mr Marlow claimed he had been down to the lagoon ‘‘150 times in four years’’ and never saw anyone using remote-controlled boats or fishing. Another preconception about it keeping the ducks away was ‘‘just wrong,’’ he said.
Mr Marlow expected about 100 people a day to use the wakepark and planned family days, free school sessions and competitions, especially in summer. The wakepark would be open 150 days a year, and they would shut it during winter and after a heavy rainfall.
‘‘It will cost about $30 an hour [to use] and it opens up this sport to the masses. We’re targeting all ages and it will become a tourist attraction.’’
As for the question about why he would ‘‘desecrate’’ a public park, Mr Marlow had a swift response.
‘‘We are not desecrating, we are not affecting daily activities, we are going to be adding to what’s already there.’’
A traffic survey will be carried out soon, and Mr Marlow expects to apply for consents in the first half of 2013. He hopes construction of the pro shop, cafe and towers will happen quickly afterwards, depending on whether the consents are publicly notified or not, and the wakepark open for next summer.
Mr Marlow said wakeboarding had continued to grow in popularity and Aquacom had further plans to develop wakeparks in Napier, Auckland and Christchurch.