www.thewanakasun.co.nz
Thursday 31 March to Wednesday 06 April 2011
IN SIDE
8,300 FREE
“I really want to try and improve the name of country music in New Zealand.” - Jodie Direen
A film first Page 2
Homegrown talent
New rowing clubhouse
Jody Direen in Lake Wanaka, See profile page 5.
PHOTO: ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHY LTD
Page 3
Warbirds losses By Malcolm Frith
Glorious gala day Page 4
Packaging winners and losers Page 7
Viewpoint Page 13
The 2010 Warbirds Over Wanaka International Air Show accounts reveal it made a loss of $143,000. This compares with the 2008 show which showed a profit of $140,000. “The reason such a loss has been recorded is that a huge amount of money has been invested on securing the new multi million dollar visitor attraction at Wanaka Airport. This is a one off expenditure,” the show’s chief executive officer Roger Clark said. The new attraction will replace the former New Zealand Fighter Pilot’s Museum, which closed down earlier this month. “We have invested for the future to secure the Warbird Over Wanaka Air Show,” Roger said. The new all year round attraction is to be housed in the large hangar at the entrance to Wanaka Aiport. It is due to open this September. In a report to the Warbirds Over Wanaka Annual General Meeting last night (Wednesday ) it revealed the 2010 show had generated $20 million to the economy of
the Otago region. Of the total expenditure $10.6 million was spent directly by visitors through local businesses. In addition another $5 million was spent on overseas visitors to the air show in other parts of New Zealand. “We are delighted at the significant economic impact the 2010 Warbirds Over Wanaka air show had on the region,” said Roger. Income from the three day show last April was $2.5million and it had attracted 65,000 people. “This is the first time the numbers have been officially recorded,” Roger said. There was a slight fall in overseas visitor numbers due to the economic climate. However, there had been large increase in visitors from the North Island and in demographic terms there was no change with most attendees to the show were over 36 years old and male. Among the community groups to benefit from last year’s show were the Wanaka and Cromwell Rotary Clubs, Wanaka Bowling Club, NZ Nordic Sports Development and Hawea Kindergarten.
Go ahead for frisbee golf By Malcolm Frith
Frisbee golf can be played at Lismore Park. The decision was announced on Monday by Queenstown Lakes District Council’s property services agent APL. It follows a campaign by members of Disc Golf Wanaka to put a course on Lismore Park, Plantation Road. Their plans were opposed by some people who claimed the park was for passive
recreation and frisbee golf did not come into this category. But members of a hearings panel concluded it was a passive recreation. On April 20 the Wanaka Community Board will be asked to adopt the decision. This latest move was welcomed by the chairman of Disc Golf Wanaka Martin Galley. “Common sense has prevailed,” he said. The club, which now has to raise $15,000 to lay out the course, will be responsible for maintaining it.
“We are confident we can raise the necessary funds,” Martin said. The public will be allowed to play frisbee golf at all times, except when the course needs to be closed for school and club events. The council will review the frisbee golf activities in two years time. Opponents to Frisbee in the park could not be contacted to make any comment.