Mt. Cook Village Discussed

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 10

Mt. Cook Village Discussed

“Perhaps we are getting a little thinskinned we have been on the receiving end a lair amount,” said the chairman of the Mt. Cook National Park Board (Mr ,N. S. Coad) at the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting on Wednesday evening. “Perhaps we have net been discriminating enough on how we should reply. “I think Mr Mackay has put it as the board thinks.” Mr Coad was referring to a report presented to the chamber by Mr A. R. Mackay, who represented the chamber with Mr R. B. McNish, on the combined committee meeting of the South Island Publicity Association, the Canterbury Progress League and chamber representatives. The combined committee meeting was convened to bring down recommendations on the necessity for providing additional accommodation at the Hermitage, and the question of location of the proposed alpine village. Specific points made by Mr Mackay in his report of the combined committee meeting included: “The meeting did not envisage that development should be in the hands of private enterprise only. “The actual wording of the resolution was: “That this meeting considers that sites should be made available for private enterprise to build various standards of accommodation in the Hermitage area, and in principle no exclusive rights be given to any one party.’” Evidence Lacking

The combined meeting, said Mr Mackay, was of the opinion that it had insufficient factual evidence to enable it to make a decision, Cither for or against any of the suggested sites for an alpine village. “This does not mean that the factual evidence is available, or is not available, only that the meeting had no factual evidence either way.” Mr Mackay said that the meeting was also of the opinion that the Mount Cook National Park Board was not necessarily the authority to develop the tourist accommodation area. Mr Coad said the board wanted the Tourist Corporation Motel to go up but it had not gone up. The board was also pressing to find out why a small private motel had not been put up. The board had almost immediately given permission. Multi-Storeys Mr Coad said the board was not opposed to a multi-storey building in the Hermitage area. But it would not like to see it like Christchurch with a series of Government Life Buildings. If the Tourist Corporation had been seeking a building of more than twostqreys, he had no doubt that the board would have accepted this. The board could only agree to something if it was put to it. He said the board’s job was to see that the area was developed for use in such a way that it did not destroy the

very thing that the people came to see. “When you get down to an actual tourist centre, we are not trying to develop it ourselves,” he said. “All we are doing is making land available for the experts to develop.” Mr Coad said the Tourist Hotel Corporation were experts in the field, and another firm had the right to build there. He said the board also had more land immediately available for building at another site of tourist accommodation of high standard. He was not quite sure whether it would be best for hotels or motels. Or if hotels, what grading? Survey Sought “We have asked the Tourist Department for a survey of the area,” said Mi- Coad. “And we have asked what type of accommodation we should be seeking. “When we get that advice we intend to advertise.” Area “Precious” Mr Coad said that he did not think that even with multli-storey buildings that 2000 beds could be got into the Hermitage promontory. The board felt the land at the Hermitage area was precious and should be used for

tourists. It would be quite wrong to use it for anything else. The board liked the Glentanner and Birch Hill sites. Birch Hill was not as good as Glentanner. “We are at present negotiating with the owners for the purchase of Glentanner.” said Mr Coad. “I believe we will be able to get this site. “If not, we could immediately get Birch Hill. It would be acceptable but it is not as good as Glentanner.” Asked what type of village it would be, Mr Coad said something on the lines of Tekapo or Pukaki. On the subject of airstrips in the area, Mr Coad said

that an airstrip for small aircraft was in front of the Hermitage. Another five miles down the valley, was for DC3s or- their successors. He said the board considered it advisable for all air activities to be centred on the one strip from the point of view of servicing and having a hangar and other arrangements. The DC3 strip, he said, seemed to be the logical place. He said that there was no question of the board favouring the Tourist Hotel Corporation, in preference to private enterprise on the question of applications to build accommodation at the Hermitage.