Council reviewing options for Reid's Farm

Council will be looking into a number of short-term options to address the incidents that have occurred at Reid’s Farm over the last few summers.

Reid’s Farm, a council owned recreation reserve alongside the Waikato River, has been a popular free camping spot for a number of years. Council officers have prepared a draft report containing a number of short-term management options for the reserve for the coming summer period.

The options include allowing free camping at Reid’s Farm and engaging a security firm or contracting an on-site manager to monitor and enforce regulations, closing the reserve to camping and allowing vehicle access during daytime hours only or closing the reserve altogether to vehicle access.

The Taupo/Kaingaroa-Mangakino/Pouakani (T/K-M/P) Committee will consider this report at their next meeting on 1 October after key stakeholders have had an opportunity to have their say.
Committee Chair Kathryn Uvhagen commented that “Reid’s Farm is an iconic recreational spot and we want to make sure the decision we make represents the wishes of the community and those who utilise the park.”

Some of the issues that have arisen as a result of the site becoming a popular camping area include litter and rubbish control problems and abandoned cars and furniture, broken glass from parties being held, vegetation damage from trees being cut for firewood, uncontrolled fires being lit and intimidating and threatening behaviour towards members of the public.

As a result of concerns raised by the police and members of the public, meetings have been held where interested parties and agencies have come together to discuss issues and identify the short term and long term use of the reserve. This feedback has been incorporated into the Council report.