ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff
Former senior DOC ranger Chris Stewart, left, and local resident and motelier Peter Neale want the centre saved.
Motelier Peter Neale said the iconic building was well-loved, and locals were told by DOC the cost to repair and strengthen it would be about $3 million, much less than a new building.
The centre was “a real focal point” for visitors passing through, he said.
“I think it was the third most visited [national park centre] in the country pre-Covid, behind Aoraki and Punakaiki.”
Adults and children alike enjoyed the displays, which featured a model showing the terrain of the park, Richard Seddon’s stagecoach, and displays on everything from history and weather, to birds and pounamu, he said.