Designer wants tourist hub on river

PETER DRURY/Waikato Times

BIG POTENTIAL: Bill Handcock stands on the deck of the Ferrybank Reception Centre overlooking where he wants the city council to build a river tourism centre, as workers dismantle the stage used for the Great Race.

Relevant offers

Hamilton could be the southern hemisphere's Venice, says a man planning to build a tourist hub alongside the Waikato River.

Architectural designer Bill Handcock has drawn up designs for a tourist hub for the city's river activities, which he claims is the answer to rebuilding the CBD for the same cost as upgrading Garden Place.

The two-storey building has been designed to sit on council land alongside the Ferrybank Reception Centre on Grantham St and, if backed, would become the home for water taxis, kayaks, a paddle steamer and any other water sports along the river.

Mr Handcock began working on the plan after being involved in last-ditch discussions with the Hamilton City Council about how to keep the Waipa Delta in Hamilton.

The 300sqm building is estimated to cost $650,000 and another $450,000 would be needed for a jetty and floating dock to accommodate the rising river. The eight-sided hub reflects the eight wakas on the river and the idea of the eight gables is that local iwi could incorporate carvings on them.

Mr Handcock was confident the council could transform the area into a tourist hub within the $3.7 million being spent on the latest stage of the City Heart upgrade.

"The potential is huge. What's wrong with setting up bungy jumping off Boundary Rd bridge and hiring bikes out to ride along the river," he said. "We have to get people here first before spending money on Garden Place."

Water-based businesses approached by Mr Handcock supported the idea. TK Taylor, who runs Cruise Waikato, told the Times it was "a very well thought-out plan" which would not only help river tourism but have huge economic benefits for the entire city.

Hamilton and Waikato Regional Tourism manager Kiri Goulter said the potential for river tourism was significant and was successful around the world. "We would love to see more tourism activities on the river, without question. The potential (for river tourism) is significant."

Tainui Group Holdings chief executive Mike Pohio confirmed they were in early discussions with shareholders about setting up their own information centre at the marae in Ngaruawahia.

He said the group had not ventured into tourism yet, but would be open to looking at and supporting a hub along the river in Hamilton. "How actively and financially becomes another equation."

Meanwhile, a $30,000 study commissioned by the council to look at how to maximise tourism potential will be presented to the new council before the end of the year.

The council has been touting plans to open up the river to the city for more than a decade with plans including building a $5 million Millenium Bridge.

- © Fairfax NZ News