Waipā residents will have to pay to see Te Parapara at the Hamilton Gardens. Photo: Hamilton & Waikato Tourism
Some Waipā and Waikato district residents have reacted angrily to news they will be paying $20 to visit the enclosed and themed areas of Hamilton Gardens from next month.
Hamilton City Council made the decision last week to cover the costs of maintaining the world-renowned gardens, arguably Waikato’s biggest tourism attraction.
City residents will continue to be able to go into the gardens for free through use of a Hamilton Card.
Susan O’Regan
Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan told The News her council funded or part-funded facilities which non-residents, including those from Hamilton, used too.
She listed boat ramps, the Velodrome and swimming pools.
“However, I think this is probably the case for all councils so we’re not alone in that.”
Former Novotel Tainui and Ibis Tainui general manager Dick Breukink, who lives in Cambridge but has spent most of his working life in Hamilton, said he always promote the gardens.
“I have invited numerous groups to visit the Hamilton Gardens and they loved it. Not because it was free, but because it is beautiful.”
Now, because he lives in Waipā, he must pay.
“If it would be a reasonable rate, it would be fine, but take a family of four for $80, that doesn’t fit in the cost of living environment. Totally get it that you have to cover costs, but a fee of $5 to $8 per person, would have been far more affordable,” he told Hamilton deputy mayor Angela O’Leary in a social media post.
Mark de Graaf, in the same forum, asked about those who lives just outside the Hamilton boundary in places like Matangi and Tamahere, which is part of the Waikato district.
Angela O’Leary
“They are considerably closer to the gardens than those living in Rototuna and contribute directly to the Hillcrest economy.”
Other neighbouring out of towners said the gardens would now be off their outing lists.
O’Leary told them Hamilton council would contact Waipā and Waikato councils to see if they would contribute to the gardens to give their residents access.
“It will be up to your councillors whether they think there is value for their constituents,” she said.
O’Regan said her council had not heard from its Hamilton counterparts yet.
“Nor would we expect them to. Individual councils decide for themselves how they wish to fund assets and Hamilton has done that – that’s their job,” she said.
