Half Mile landscape option chosen

The Vincent Community Board (VCB) has chosen a redevelopment plan for the Half Mile Recreation Reserve at Alexandra, which will include getting feedback from the community about the type of shelter trees to be used in the planting plan.

At the meeting at Alexandra today (Tuesday 2 May 2023) the VCB was asked to consider two options for replanting, both based on the natural central Otago landscape redevelopment concept plan that was consulted on in 2022.

Option A focussed on the use of native species only across the site.

Option B, which is a mix of planting exotic species and a native shelter belt, was the recommended option and what the community board eventually agreed on at today’s meeting.

Both options included community planting projects such as Trees for Babies (adopting a tree marking the recent birth of your family member), and a Citizenship planting area (space provided for people to plant the tree given to them at their citizenship ceremony if they didn’t have a permanent place for it).

Members were in favour of exploring options other than poplars as shelter trees, as suggested in the plan. They approved the redevelopment plan described in option B, but with an amendment that Council engage with the community on shelter tree options along the boundary and within the key walking areas.

The VCB discussed some of the options suggested such as cypress.

The intention was that the shelter belt would be in place until the smaller and slower growing native species were established.

Council will be letting the public know how they can give feedback in the near future.

The VCB also agreed to look at options for funding the redevelopment of the reserve in the 2024-2034 Long-term Plan and directed the council’s interim chief executive to continue to investigate third party funding opportunities for the reserve’s development.

After the meeting, Central Otago District Council Group Manager – Community Experience David Scoones said staff were looking forward to talking to the community about planting options and moving on to the next stage of the project.