Editorial: Walk or ride, it's about civility

Mount developer Bain McDonald is leading a proposal to turn the Phoenix Carpark into an urban park rather than re-developing it for shops. Photo / Joel Ford

I hope the Tauranga City Council takes the $21,000 it saved by deciding not to widen the walkway along Harbour Drive and spends it on the urban green-space planned for Mount Maunganui's Phoenix car park.

A bit of common courtesy sees the seaside walkway enjoyed by pedestrians as well as cyclists and the money would be better spent on something fresh for the city.

Last year, I managed to bike across the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco on a sunny Saturday afternoon, sharing the busy, narrow footpath with pedestrians and other cyclists.

What a sad day it would be if the council there decided to ban cyclists from the bridge because they got in the way of pedestrians.

Both should have the opportunity to enjoy the fantastic view and the same goes in Tauranga.

In my experience, sharing the Harbour Drive path has always resulted in a pleasant verbal exchange and has never been a problem worth throwing $20,000 worth of ratepayers' money at.

A bit more tolerance will see the community receiving new assets, rather than wasting money on minor adjustments.

The debate is similar to the one raging over public barbecues on Pilot Bay creating a smell for the residents. Are these really the biggest things Tauranga residents have to worry about?

I'm so glad we have a fresh council, obviously less prepared to be swayed by the views of a minority.

There will always be arguments against progress, and one has already reared its head in relation to the Phoenix car park development. There are concerns around the lack of car parks during summer. The same issue was raised when Tauranga's waterfront was transformed, but no one seems to be complaining now it's done.

If we have to walk a few metres for the sake of being able to enjoy a place for markets, outdoor cinemas, fountains and gardens, surely the trade-off is worth it.

Every decision has an opportunity cost but, if we keep focusing on them, we will never see Tauranga do the growing up it needs to as a city.