Community voices shape Karāpiro's future
Karāpiro Lake Domain will remain a place for everyone, after Waipā District Council's Strategic Planning and Policy Committee today agreed a future direction for the reserve.
The committee deliberated on almost 800 submissions received on the draft Karāpiro Lake Domain Reserve Management Plan and Masterplan, making a number of amendments in response to community feedback.
However, the projects within the plans remain unfunded and will need to go through the usual Long Term and Annual Plan processes so ratepayers can have their say.
Committee chair and Deputy Mayor Jo Davies-Colley says the scale of the response, and the goodwill behind it, stood out.
"We went through every single submission. The number of people who took the time to tell us what this place means to them shows just how much passion there is for Karāpiro. The feedback’s been invaluable in helping us get this right."
Davies-Colley said while there were strong and sometimes opposing views, people were willing to listen to each other throughout the process.
"Even where they disagreed, they were prepared to find common ground. That says a lot about this community."
One of the most contested issues was whether the plans should favour non-motorised sport, such as rowing and waka ama, over activities like water-skiing and power boating. The committee agreed to remove that prioritisation, amending wording to recognise it as a premier venue for a range of aquatic sports.
The Karāpiro Water Ski Club's lease area and boat ramp will stay in their current location, and the Taipa Stream will be retained on its existing alignment rather than relocated, with naturalisation options to be explored over time.
All four sand volleyball courts will remain in place for now, with staff directed to keep working with Volleyball NZ and the Waikato Recreational Trust on a long-term option. This would be alongside continued investigation of a shared multi-purpose facility for rowing and other sports clubs in the northern part of the domain. Any consolidation into a shared facility would only happen with agreement from the clubs involved.
The committee also amended a staff recommendation on potentially expanding accommodation, agreeing only to consider the option in the future. “This is not a decision to build anything, but keeps the door open through Council's normal funding processes,” Davies-Colley said.
Following input from Ngāti Koroki Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā, changes were made to strengthen cultural values throughout both documents, as well as provision to investigate future expansion of Te Manawa o Matariki Room as a river and research centre.
Plans for a new swim zone and jetty have been dropped in favour of retaining the existing swim zone, and proposals to terrace the grassed embankment for seating were also removed.
A range of smaller amendments were agreed, including improved accessibility wording, biosecurity measures, extending event parking, and technical corrections.
Davies-Colley says the domain's future will continue to be shaped with the community, not for it.
"Thank you to everyone who made a submission, came to the hearing, or talked with us at the domain itself. This plan is better because of you."
The amended plans will go to Council for adoption later this year.
