QLDC all geared up for the busy holiday period
- Date:
- Dec 20, 2017
Queenstown Lakes District Council is ready and waiting for the yearly influx of over 100,000 visitors during the busy summer holiday period and has upped levels of service accordingly.
Traffic management personnel are on standby to help manage the pedestrian crossings on Shotover Street if the need arises, as well as any other pinch points on the QLDC roading network. Extra parking management staff will also be on hand to ensure a good turnover of our parking capacity during the peak period.
In Queenstown, free temporary daytime parking will be available at Warren Park by the high school on Gorge Road for approximately 150 vehicles from 20 December to 14 January.
Traffic is expected to flow better than previous years with the opening of two-way traffic across the Kawarau Bridge for summer as well as the completion of Hawthorne Drive which opens on Thursday 21 December.
Extended waste bin clearances have been arranged to deal with the increase in rubbish produced over summer to keep up with demand in Queenstown, Wanaka, Arrowtown, Glenorchy and Kingston. Extra custodians have been put on patrol to ensure the town centres remain clean and suitable for residents and visitors alike.
The town centre public toilets in Queenstown, Arrowtown and Wanaka will be kept clean by dedicated contractors, while additional port-a-loos will be in place on the Glenorchy foreshore.
The annual New Year’s liquor ban in Queenstown, Frankton, Arrowtown, Wanaka and Hawea will be enforced from 27 December through to 6 January. Any breach of the liquor ban may result in a fine of $250.
A number of community guides will be available in Queenstown over the Christmas and New Year period. Known as the Red Frogs (identifiable by the big red frog on their T-shirts) this group of 80 volunteers will be on hand to support intoxicated people, offering water and food in safe zones in both Queenstown and Wanaka.
QLDC Chief Executive Mike Theelen says that Council has prepared well this year and will ensure the district continues to operate smoothly over the summer period. “While the surge in numbers is quite dramatic over the holiday period, we’re well-resourced to cope with the over 100,000 extra people we’re expecting.”
“While this will definitely put pressure on our available resources, this isn’t our first rodeo. We’re asking that people be responsible, patient and make sure they plan ahead when travelling, particularly around known pinch points such as petrol stations and town centres.”
“At the end of the day we want to make sure everyone, whether they’re resident or visitors have a great summer break, and we’re doing what we can to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.”
ENDS
