Ohakune's future?

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 15, 13 September 1983, Page 5

Ohakune's future?

minent declaration of the Wanganui River Reserve as a National Park, even more emphasis is going to be placed on tourism in the Region. Of all the towns swithin the Wanganui Region, Ohakune is most probably the best placed to take advantage of the opportunities which are opening up. It becomes a philosophical question therefore as to whether the Council wishes to become fully involved with such developments, and face perhaps a consequent loss in some of the values treasured by existing residents, or whether it wishes to resist these changes and attempt to preserve the values of the past. It is a contradiction that one of the things tourists like about Ohakune is its present atmosphere which many of them would like to see preserved, whilst at the same time their very presence ensures that it canjwt be preserved. ^■e solution If the Council opts to stay with the philosophy enunciated in the Planning Scheme, then I feel the present position with the zones should be allowed to remain to permit more time for a proper assessment of its ef-

fectiveness to be made. Apart from the restaurant and ski hire arguments, it would appear to be working reasonably well to me. If, however, the Council feels a change in attitude is nec&ssary to encourage wholeheartedly the development of tourism, then it may be more appropriate to have only one all-embracing commercial zone, unrestricted advertising, and certainly no attempt to control the design of buildings. In this atmosphere "development at any price" is the guiding principal, and a vibrant, alive, perhaps wayout, town is the aim. The Las Vegas of New Zealand may be an appropriate simile. There are undoubted benefits to be gained from a basically unrestricted, freeflowing attitude toward development, but there are also of course detriments which have to be accepted. Conversely, if the detrimental aspects to the existing community are to be contained, then there will be restrictions on development. Either way, once Council has made a decision on the philosophical question, ordinances can be produced to give effect to them.