New hostel site pegged out

Press, 25 February 1986, Page 7

New hostel site pegged out

The site of the new Mount Cook' youth hostel was pegged out yesterday — after four months of costly delays. The delays in getting a building permit and then ensuring that flood protection would be done by the Government have boosted the original building costs by $60,000. The youth hostel, which will be built by Fraemohs Industries of Christchurch, would now cost $780,000 and be ready for next summer, said the chief executive of the Youth Hostel Association, Mr Peter Abrams.

The delays had also weakened the association’s fund-raising campaign. Momentum had been lost, said Mr Abrams, and the associa-

tion would have to reactivate its members and the public to help raise the final $250,000. The hostel will cater for up to 59 hostellers, twice the capacity of the present hostel. The association was given the green light to proceed with the building last week after the National Parks Board made the flood protection work at Mount Cook its number one capital works priority for the new financial year. The Mackenzie County Council would not give the association an occupancy certificate until the flood work was complete, said Mr Abrams.

“We are still taking a small risk but we believe it is worth it.”