After taking last week off to move house and getting some long overdue time off, here is the latest edition of the Queenstown.com weekly. In this edition, we urge everyone to keep an eye out for a missing tourist, Liat Okin of Israel. A photo and description can be found by clicking 'read more'. Also, approval is given for Queenstown's highest bungy, but will it make it out of the environmental court alive? And lastly, I issue a correction in regards to some lingering doubts raised about the fundraising efforts made by the WSA in regards to the Queenstown Skate Park.
18 days ago, the last sighting was made of Liat Okin, a tourist from Israel. She was last seen leaving from The Divide to walk the Routeburn Track, and she has not been seen since. Concerns are held for her safety and a police search was started on Tuesday. The Police are urging anyone that can help to please communicate with Detective Grant MILLER of Queenstown CIB. The following is her Description and photo:
- 35 yr old Female
- Olive complexion
- Dark curly shoulder length hair worn in a pony-tail
- 4' 10" tall
- thin build
- brown eyes
- Last seen wearing a red hoodie jumper with zip up front, and jeans, and a backpack
I recently published an article about the Queenstown Skate Park, and the story surrounding it so far. In it, I stated that the Wakatipu skaters had only raised $2000 to go towards the intial $300,000 needed for the parks construction. I was informed today that I had been misinformed and I'd like to clear things up by stating the following:
After a meeting over possible naming rights for the skateboard park bowl, a discussion was had regarding fundraising to date and claims made that the skateboarders had only raised $2k. Jan Maxwell confirmed that the impression given was wrong, where in fact, the skateboarders trust fully contributed to the process and deserved recognition for this. Further to this, the skateboarders trust is currently organising a skateboard art auction, to be held in May. They are also taking an active part in continuing efforts to raise funds.
Approval has been gained to construct Queenstown's highest bungy which clocks in at an impressive 185 metres. Not only will it be the highest, but it would be closer that the current highest, A J Hackett's Nevis Bungy. In whats seem like a bizarre decision, 48 of the 49 submissions where against the approval, kinda similar to the submission results for blanket closing times for Queenstown bars.
The last time I remember a bungy operation going to the environmental court was when Pipeline Bungy were trying to get their 250m balloon bungy off the ground. In the end, the restrictions placed by the court were enough to effectively ground the project. It also took over two years to get it's day in court. One wonders what will happen to this latest proposal...
Nathan - Queenstown.com Editor.
