In May the Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) facilitated a number of seminars to ascertain what the users of Wanaka Airport and the Upper Clutha community wanted to happen over the next 27 years. The top four themes of what they wanted clearly emerged and will drive the development of the airport:
• A vibrant, innovative aero and business hub with diverse user types and facilities and high wage employment that supports Wanaka as a thriving destination to live and do business in.
• Proactive, well planned and co-ordinated partnerships around regional infrastructure with local and central government to ensure infrastructure and transport connectivity keeps up with the visitor and population growth.
• The GA community is protected, enhanced and the airport’s history respected, offering financially viable options to maintain and nurture recreational flying and grassroots users, operating in harmony with scheduled services and other offerings.
• A world-class example of airport development which is sustainable, architecturally-designed, carbon neutral, innovative and technologically advanced to ensure future proofing both for future technological advances and capacity (growth).
Wanaka Airport communications advisor Naomi Lindsay says, “We encourage all members of the community to have their say on the themes that came out of the community workshops. While this is very much phase one, this is a very important part of the process and we’re interested in hearing what the community thinks about growth.
“We are working together with all stakeholders on what the future and success looks like at Wanaka. So jump online now and put your ideas, thoughts and comments in writing.”
- Report by John King, photography by Michael Thomas.