Council votes to charge for Hamilton's world-class Gardens

Friday, 2 June 2023

It will cost people to visit the enclosed gardens from next year.

People from outside of Hamilton will pay $20 to visit the enclosed portion of the Hamilton gardens from February next year.

That’s what councillors decided at a long session of the Hamilton City Council (HCC) on Thursday.

Part of a suite of changes to the 2023/2024 annual plan, Hamiltonians and those under 16 would be exempt from paying any fee, but those from elsewhere would have to pay $20.

However, there would be an annual pass option and concessions based on means, circumstance and whether a group was visiting.

A key aspect of the annual plan change was the inclusion of a fee levied on people from outside of Hamilton to visit the renowned attraction.

The issue was of such public importance that a record 1841 submission had been made on the plan in the lead up to Thursday’s meeting.

Many of those submissions were from residents of neighbouring Waikato and Waipā districts, who argued they too should be granted a discount.

Councillors decided that ultimately they were free riding and would miss out.

Of the 14 councillors (including the mayor) present (only Councillor Wilson was absent due to council business), 11 voted for the motion and only councillors Naidoo-Rauf, Taylor and Pike voted against.

Deputy Mayor Angela O’Leary reminded her colleagues to remember the reason for the charge. A new revenue stream to maintain the upkeeps of the gardens.

“I think we need to stay focussed on the actual reason we are making this decision. And that’s the outcome to find a new revenue stream for the Gardens, so we can continue to invest and grow the gardens.”

The revenue projections by council staff for the adopted option indicate some $1.4m of additional revenue could be sought by the decision, not adding to the $16.5m operating deficit. Hamilton Gardens, councillors were told, was one of the few internationally acclaimed gardens without an entrance fee.

Councillor Taylor, who dissented, told his colleagues that the charge would only recoup $200,000 on operational expenditure from a total spend of $340m.

Taylor said that the gardens were not to be gambled with.

“Let’s not gamble the city’s biggest asset on chump change.”

The practicalities of the charge would be left to council staff to organise.

Lee-Ann Jordan, the council’s unit director of visitor destinations said that implementation of the charge would go hand in hand with the opening of a new visitor centre at the gardens.

“Nothing will happen until early next year. We will have our new visitor centre at the Gardens when this happens. Implementation is essentially going to mean that Hamiltonians will be invited to come to the gardens and present proof of address and age and be issued either an app or a library card type document we are thinking at this stage.”

There will be a period before the beginning of charging when residents of Hamilton and those under 16 can arrange this.

Jordan wanted to stress that despite the enclosed garden becoming a paid attraction, popular picnic and events spaces like the Rhododendron Lawn, Turtle Lake and the Roger Rose Garden will remain free.

Also decided as part of the annual plan was that a rates increase of 4.9% would occur, as had been proposed earlier in the year.