Whakapapa garage may go

Ruapehu Bulletin, 25 August 1992, Page 5

Whakapapa garage may go

By

Marnie

woodd

Whakapapa Village may be without a service station if the Grand Chateau's owners go ahead with plans to construct an ice skating rink in the building the garage presently occupies. Chateau management are putting forward a proposal to the Conservation Board in October detailing changes it wants to make to the hotel and surrounding buildings. Kah NZ Ltd, who own the Chateau, lease the brick buildings opposite the hotel to garage owners Andy Hammond and Sam Clarkson. Kah has decided not to renew the three-year lease which ran out on 31 March this year. "Owing to the proposed development our lease wasn't renewed and we now have a temporary lease until the end of October," Mr Hammond said. He is now faced with ordering stock for next season, by the end of next month not knowing if he will have a garage to sell it from. He is annoyed at the hotel management assuming the ice skating project will go ahead when they have yet to submit a proposal to DoC. He first heard about the ice rink through an article published in North and South magazine. Motorists have been

relying on the garage since 1927 for fuel, chain hire, tyre repairs, hiring camping and tramping equipment and minor repairs. The Chateau may be cutting their own throats because their guests, DoC and Ruapehu Alpine Lifts staff are frequent garage customers. Whakapapa skiers Marion Kiddle and her

husband, members of the Ruapehu Ski Club, have been coming to Whakapapa from Wellington for 30 years. They were outraged to hear that an ice skating rink may replace the garage. "This garage understands the needs of skiers, more and more people are being encouraged to ski and a lot of those people are inexpe-

rienced about driving on the mountain. Where are they going to get help when their cars break down?" she asked. On a day when most of the skifield was closed due to bad weather, Mr Hammond started 10-12 cars. Those motorists would have had to get help from much further afield if his garage hadn't been there, he said. The nearest place to

get fuel and chain hire is at National Park, 21km from the top of the Bruce Road where hundreds of skiers stay in lodges during the ski season. Grand Chateau General manager Chris Griffin said he has discussed with Mr Hammond and Mr Clarkson the possibility of continuing the chain hire and towing services, but that nothing firm has yet been decided.