On the 11th of April 2025, the Council publicly notified two draft documents under the Reserves Act 1977:

• the draft Lakes-Murchison Ward Reserve Management Plan (RMP); and
• a draft RMP section on Baigents Bush Scenic Reserve in Pigeon Valley (for eventual inclusion in the Moutere-Waimea Ward RMP)
• read the public notice

Submissions on both drafts are open until 16 June.

Before we finalise these plans, we'd like to hear your answers to some key questions.

Key Questions for Baigents Bush Scenic Reserve

1. Do you support or oppose the ‘future management options’ concept plan for Baigents Bush Scenic Reserve?
2. Do you support or oppose the proposed management policies for Baigents Bush Scenic Reserve?

Key Questions for Lakes-Murchison Ward reserves

1. Management of Poplars Recreation Reserve in Tadmor defaulted to Council several years ago, after the domain board ceased to exist. This reserve is Crown-owned, but the Crown has never formally requested that the Council administer this land. Do you think Council should inform DOC that it needs to resume management responsibility for the reserve, or ask DOC to formally appoint the Council to manage the reserve?
2. A new community hub is planned for Tapawera. The Council is considering options for the location of the new hub, including three sites on Tapawera Memorial Park Recreation Reserve. We’d like to hear your thoughts on the proposed location of the hub.
3. The Owen River Recreation Reserve was gifted to the Crown in the 1920s and is now vested in Council in trust for recreation purposes. The community hall was removed in the 1990s, but the reserve is still used as a remote campground today. Day-to-day management of the reserve relies on a contract with the owners of the neighbouring Owen Tavern, who clean the ablution block and collect camp fees. The tavern is currently for sale and it is possible that the new owners may not wish to be involved in ongoing management of the campground. We’d like to know your thoughts on three future management options for this reserve.
4. Two other Crown-owned reserves in remote locations (the Lower Maruia Memorial and Matakitaki Recreation Reserves) that Council administers also once had community halls on them. Today they are empty paddocks, providing little/no recreational value. Do you think that the Council should request that the vestings be removed and management responsibility for these two reserves returned to the Crown?
5. Murchison has several community rooms available for hire. The Council-owned building (which is not subject to the Reserves Act) at 5 Hampden Street is currently being utilised as a community gym. The long term plan is to relocate this activity to the MSRCC, when an extension is added to create a fitness centre. Do you think the Council should sell or retain the property at 5 Hampden Street?

Further details about each of these five questions are provided in the summary document:

• Draft Lakes-Murchison RMP summary and key questions

In mid-May, the Council will publicly notify the draft Richmond Ward RMP.