Ohakune ski lodge may go

Ruapehu Bulletin, 20 August 1991, Page 3

Ohakune ski lodge may go

Further investigations of boarding houses in Ohakune that fail to measure up to the Ruapehu District Council's health, fire, building and licence regulations are to be carried out, following the council's success in stopping a Miro Street house from being used as a boarding house. Go Kiwi ski tours operator Warren Birkhead is planning to sell his Miro Street, Ohakune, house following the continuation of the court injunction stopping him from operating the property as a boarding house. Mr Birkhead said he will sell the house on-site or for removal. He said if he can find a suitable section in the right zone he would look at moving it there so he could resume the ski accommodation service but if that failed he would be happy to see the building sold for removal out of the area. He told the Bulletin he has met almost all requirements of the council with regard to fire, health and building regulations with just a day's work remaining. He said $20,000 worth of work had been done to meet council's requirements, but that because he still can't operate due to the continued injunction, contractors and suppliers may wait a long time for their money. Asked if he agreed that it was not his contractors' fault that he could not operate, Mr Birkhead said "Yes, but it's not my fault either." The council's operation to stop Mr Birkhead runing the boarding house was described as involving "a great deal of expense but was nccessary due to the potential danger involved" in the council's July Activities Report. "This action has had a snowballing effect and officers will be involved with the investigation of further complaints presently being submitted," said the rcport. A full report of last Thursday's court case will appear in next week's Ruapehu Bulletin.