Tower with a view proposed for Timaru

Press, 27 June 1987, Page 1

Tower with a view proposed for Timaru

By

CHRIS TOBIN

in Timaru

A Temuka man, Mr Bob Harris, has prepared an ambitious plan for a 150 m tall tower complex in Timaru’s Caroline Bay which would allow views of Mount Cook and the sea. “The aesthetics of it would be better than the one proposed for Victoria Square in Christchurch,” Mr Harris said yesterday. “With the Christchurch one all you would be looking at is smog.” ... Mr Harris who works for an engineering company, Maru Industries, in Temuka, said the tower would cost $l7 million and would Include a restaurant, bar, nightclub, beergarden, tearooms and conference centre on the bottom level with an observation level at the top. The tower would stand on the seabed with,’ berthing facilities for landing from the seaward side and a two-lane causeway providing access; from the land.

A market research study is

the next step planned by Mr Harris and if the proposal is viable he expects finance will not be a problem. He would not give the names of any potential backers. <

Earlier this year an Auckland company prepared a report on the tourist potential of Timaru and found the city lacked a major attraction. Mr Harris said up to 500,000 holidaymakers .. and tourists skirted Timaru as they travelled to the lakes and from Mount Cook, to Queenstown. He feels the proposed 150 m tower in the Benvenue cliffs Waimataitai Bay area of Caroline Bay could draw tourists to Timaru and breathe new life into the city.

Mr Harris said the future of the venture depended on community support and whether tourists could come to Timaru in sufficient'numbers.

So far , the' reaction in Timaru to his /proposal has been mixed. Mr Harris said he had received about 30 favourable telephone calls yesterday but Timaru City councillors had been less enthusiastic.