Kai Iwi Lakes Water Ski Club on the move

The Kai Iwi Lakes Water Ski Club's building at Kai Iwi Lakes, above, has been bought by Kaipara District Council.

Got a private lake in Northland big enough to hold water skiing competitions?

If so, the Kai Iwi Lakes Water Ski Club is keen to get in touch as it looks to move after Kaipara District Council bought its clubrooms for $300,000.

The club has been based at Lake Waikare for 46 years, but with changes to the Kai Iwi Lakes (Taharoa Domain) Reserve Management Plan power boats have been banned from the lake while their use will be restricted at nearby Lake Taharoa. A key part of the plan, which was adopted by the Kaipara District Council last month, is to establish an education centre at the lakes.

As a result of the club no longer being able to operate the council has bought the club's buildings at Lake Waikare for $300,000 from its reserve contributions, which are paid by developers for use in reserve and park development.

Club secretary Tim Robinson said it was sad the club had to move because it could no longer use the lake, but the sale gave it some certainty and an ability to move on.

"It finally gives us some clarity as to what we can do as a club. We were stuck in no man's land once it was clear we would no longer be able to use the boats on the lake, so by the council agreeing to buy our assets we can now move on and look for a new site," Mr Robinson said.

"That's a process we've started in the last couple of months while we've been negotiating with the council. We need an alternative site and now we've got some money to get re-established elsewhere."

He said the club needed a lake large enough to carry out water skiing and preferably on private property so it could have more control over the water.

"If there's anybody out there with a big lake that can be used for water skiing, please get in touch," Mr Robinson said.

The council will turn the clubrooms into an education centre to teach the public about the lakes and their importance.

"The education centre is a key initiative to broaden the appeal of the lakes, widen the range of users, and ensure that future generations understand just how precious they are," KDC commissioner and chairman of the Taharoa Domain Governance Committee Peter Winder said.

"Clearly, the decision to remove powerboats from Lake Waikare has a major impact on the ski club. The ski club has faced significant uncertainty over two years with the impact of both the lapsed Northland Regional Council bylaw governing the speed of boats on the lakes and the subsequent decision to remove powerboats from Lake Waikare.

"Recognising this impact and the goal of establishing an education centre at the lakes, council has agreed to purchase the Kai Iwi Lakes Water Ski Club buildings and assets as the core of the proposed education centre."