A council spokesman said they had heard “loud and clear” that ratepayers should not be subsidising the development and maintenance of facilities such as boat ramps when their users could be identified.
The $15 million commercial wharf, floating pontoon and neighbouring boat ramp were officially opened last month.
It was revealed last week the public was being told to stay away from the commercial wharf and floating pontoon.
The gates had been shut and locked since its official opening late last month.
It’s been more than a decade since the concept for a new marina in the town was born and funding came from a variety of sources, including the Government’s Crown Infrastructure Partners Fund, Three Waters Reform Better Off funding from the Department of Internal Affairs, Thames Community Board’s Thames Urban General-Purpose Reserve and the Waikato Regional Council’s Regional Fund.
Edhouse, a retired widower, said there were no ramp fees at the wharf before the opening of the facility.
A schedule of fees at the facility now shows it costs $15 a day for vehicle parking, $33 for a combo pass (launch and park) or $115 for an annual combo pass (launch and park).
“People don’t mind a small fee, but I think councils are cottoning on; it is the thin edge of the wedge,” he said.
“Will they start charging for cycleways and parks? Where is it going to end?”
Edhouse believed the Thames-Coromandel District Council was “clipping the ticket”.
“It’s a rip-off, especially with that sort of fee.
“These are by far the most expensive boat ramp fees that I have come across in New Zealand; as you know most of this new facility was funded by us, the taxpayers and ratepayers.
“Most councils don’t charge yet, apart from where a club has funded the facility.
“Taupō has charged for a long time; their fee is $6 and I believe it goes to the owners of the lake.
“In Rotorua, all ramps are free. I believe most ramps are free in Auckland, apart from club ramps.
“As of the July 1, 2024 Tauranga introduced a $20 fee for some of their ramps. Whakatane and Opotiki are still free.”
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Resources Minister Shane Jones at the official opening of the Kopu Business and Marine Precinct in Thames last month.
The council spokesman said a user-pays approach meant users contributed directly towards the development and maintenance of infrastructure they used.
“On this basis, in our consultation on the draft 2022/23 annual plan we asked for feedback on increasing user charges for boat ramps so some of the cost of building and maintaining these assets could shift from ratepayers to the people who use the facilities.
“Our council was already charging for trailer boat parking at six of our boat ramps for some years; as a result of the feedback received, our council decided to introduce trailer parking fees at three additional boat ramps, and launching fees were introduced at all nine of these ramps.
“The other 17 council boat ramps remain free to use, the fees collected stay in the area to help pay for the local boat ramps and wharves.”
He said they would continue to monitor the effectiveness of user charges.
“In June, our council submitted on the Government’s proposed changes to the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy; we argued that the levy should be raised and that districts like ours with high visitation, but a low ratepayer base, should be more supported to build and maintain tourism infrastructure without significant ratepayer burden.”
