Thinking Ahead 2027-37
What’s important to you?
We are looking ahead and want to know what’s important to you, your community, and the Mackenzie District.
Elected Members and staff have been out in our three main towns running public drop-in sessions.
But, if you missed out, it's not to late to give us your ideas.
To share your ideas with us simply log in to the Ideas List below with an email and username.
What next
This ideas board will be open until Sunday 15 February 2026. After that date all the contributions, online and in-person, will be collated into themes, presented to Councillors and published to this website
What's your dream? How would you like our areas to look in the future?
Fairlie - from a local point of view, something for the older kids (6-16+), a pump track or mountain bike area. Look to Methven for examples on this.
This would also help with tourists who stay in the area for a few days. Apart from walks there is not too much too do in Fairlie itself. It would be great if on the walkways they were interactive for kids. A seek and search, story board walk, fairy forest. Our walkways are great but for kids it'd be great if it just wasn't another walk. An extension to our playground would be great, again something for those kids who are 6+. Maybe part of the community development from the council side, a skate workshop with skate coaches to make use of the skate park. The addition of the safety railings and sunshades have been great.
Winter lights to add appeal to our wee mountain village with people visiting the slopes and locals to enjoy the winter months. Make it a wee winter wonderland.
Please can we have more toilet signage - too many tourists can't find them.
Something to be done with the junction across from the Resource Centre - too many tourists pulling out onto the wrong side of the road, too many tourists crossing without looking, with it being so close to the playground its also a nerve-racking part of road for locals to witness each day.
I think for locals the future of the local medical centre is a real concern. What happens when Paula and Lewis retire? Confidence in the security of local medical care is low within the community.
It honestly feels like Mackenzie is the only region where tourists are prioritised over locals and families.
The playgrounds in Twizel are a joke.
The one by the lagoon gets destroyed every summer by visitors.
The one near Murchison Hut is damaged and honestly unsafe to use. It even has a “use at your own risk” sign, yet it’s right by the main highway where tourists stop and local kids play because there’s nowhere else to go.
The playground in the market place is tiny, always overcrowded, and has no shade at all.
Even the swimming pool needs attention. The changing rooms are overdue for an upgrade, and because the showers are used by tourists all the time, the toilets are always dirty and unpleasant.
It feels like locals and families are constantly an afterthought.
Services that support the local residents: A DENTIST!!!! A proper library
Thank you for your contribution!
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