$11m for watersport bumps up city rates

In a marathon meeting yesterday, the Christchurch City Council decided against financially backing the $30m watersports park planned by the Lake Isaac Trust but agreed it would budget $11m for a flat-water facility somewhere in Christchurch.

That decision has devastated the trust, which had planned to create a lake on land owned by the Diana Isaac Wildlife Trust, between Christchurch International Airport and the Clearwater Resort.

The lake was to replace water sports courses at Kerrs Reach and Lyttelton Harbour, and feature an international eight-lane rowing course. Land worth $1.8m was to be given to the council for the park.

The council voted 13 to 10 against the Lake Isaac proposal but then backed money for another yet-to-be-identified site by 19 votes to four.

The decision pushed this year's projected rate rise up from the 3.25% predicted this week, to 3.62%.

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