August 4, 2008
MEDIA STATEMENT
Incorporated Society planned for Tekapo Regional Park
Plans are well underway for the formation of an incorporated society to support and help run the newly created Tekapo
Regional Park.
Tekapo resident Murray Cox says the application to form the society is being processed at the moment, and it is expected
to be completed by the end of August.
The next step after that will be to hold an annual general meeting, when the committee and chairperson, secretary and
treasurer will be appointed.
The park, which comprises 165 hectares of forested lakeside land along the Lilybank Road on the edge of the Tekapo
village, has been established by Environment Canterbury following an approach by Murray Cox on behalf of the community.
The land was formerly known as the Lake Tekapo Soil Conservation area, and was planted with trees to stop wind erosion.
Over time it has become a popular recreational area, but the community was keen to see the area developed further with
the establishment of mountainbiking, running and walking tracks, and picnicking areas.
The society is being formed as a result of a public meeting and ECan Councillor Bronwen Murray is thrilled by the level
of support. “It’s a perfect situation for us to have the local community really backing the development of the park in
this way,” she says. ECan will work with the new society to develop a management plan for the park during the next year.
While ECan will allocate some funding for the park development, additional money will be raised by the society applying
for various grants and Mackenzie District Council’s contribution.
Murray Cox says setting up the society will mean that the community will be involved long-term with the park, and that a
set of governing rules will be in place for the society. “It sets it up for the future and it creates accountability,”
he says. This will be important when it comes to applying for grants.
He says the present ideas for development of the park are centred on offering visitors to Tekapo more activities, and he
says there is plenty of support for this from the local community. “One overriding factor is to make sure that the area
stays as a forested area as it is unique in the Mackenzie Basin.”
The Mackenzie District Council is supportive of the park development and according to community facilities manager Garth
Nixon is currently considering ways to contribute. “It’s great for the district and is another much needed recreational
opportunity in Tekapo,” he says.
ENDS