Bylaw could rid lake of boats

Kai Iwi Lakes' Taharoa Domain could see a ban on power boats.

A proposed bylaw set to abolish the use of powerboats in the Kai Iwi Lakes' Taharoa Domain catchment could rid the area's popular lakes of recreational watersports from as early as 2018.

This could spell ruin for the Kai Iwi Lakes Water Ski Club, a club which has been established on the Lake Waikare shoreline for more than 40 years.

"If the plan does get implemented the way that it's set out currently, the club will have to find a new location because we won't be able to operate," club spokesman Tim Robinson said.

An outcome of a recent review into the Taharoa Domain Reserve Management Plan 2002, the suggested bylaw - titled the Draft Kai Iwi Lakes (Taharoa Domain) Bylaw 2015 - has been drawn up by the Kaipara District Council and is being put forth for public consultation alongside the Draft Kai Iwi Lakes (Taharoa Domain) Reserve Management Plan 2015.

The draft bylaw seeks to support objectives proposed in the Draft Reserve Management Plan by excluding powerboats from Kai Iwi Lakes unless authorised as a safety vessel for events, scientific and research purposes or for management operations.

"The core of the draft plan is to protect and enhance the environment, while also making the lakes and domain accessible for a wide variety of activities and recreation," Taharoa Domain Governance Committee chairman Peter Winder said.

"In conjunction with the Kai Iwi Lakes (Taharoa Domain) Draft Reserve Management Plan we are also consulting on a bylaw relating to the use of the lakes by powerboats. The proposed bylaw reflects the draft plan proposal to remove powerboats by 2018. Whatever is finally decided regarding powerboats will be reflected in decisions on both the draft plan and the proposed bylaw."

Determined to retain Northland's home of water skiing at the pristine location, Robinson says the club urges the wider public to have their say.

"Most of the members are philosophical and realise these are decisions that are out of our hands. We've been privileged to be there as long as we have but if we can't continue there we'll have to look elsewhere and we know that we won't get a place as good as this.

"We're just encouraging everybody in the public to have their opinion on it, whether it's to have boats removed or keep boats on the lake ... and just to ensure the council does hear what the public think at large."

Consultation on the Draft Kai Iwi Lakes (Taharoa Domain) Bylaw 2015 is being undertaken alongside the Draft Reserve Management Plan. The public consultation window opened yesterday and runs until March 22, 2016.

-Have your say at: http://www.kaipara.govt.nz/Your+District/Have+Your+Say/Consultation+on+Draft+KIL+TD+RMP+2015.html.