The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
Tauranga has missed out on Cup celebration
I think it is [ridiculous] that there is no area for the RWC.
Once again Tauranga is the place not to be.
Seeing smaller towns than us with dedicated areas sucks and it's embarrassing.
If anything, our council should have seen that it would have brought more money into Tauranga.
Watching it on a screen with a couple of thousand people is going to be better than in a pub full of drunk people.
What's going to happen when the final is played?
Police arresting drunk people or fining bars for being over crowded?
I ask the question: Why hasn't our council proposed to close The Strand like Jazz Festival and have a screen where we can all watch it. Instead of building a multimillion-dollar bowls club we can't use, we should have had a screen!
(Abridged)
Jordan Hosking, Pyes Pa
Sick of the hype
For once I'm in tune with Eva Bradley's feature (Girl Talk 9/9/11) on her sentiments about the Rugby World Cup.
Like her, I'm sick and tired of the hype we've had to live with on a daily basis for so long, as if nothing else in the world really mattered.
Rugby is just a game, and a pretty violent, ugly one at that.
I read somewhere that about a third of Kiwis aren't fans - not that you'd ever know it.
And if New Zealand doesn't win, the country will doubtless be in mourning for weeks and dissecting what went wrong endlessly and monotonously.
Like Eva, I can't wait for it all to be over.Maureen GuyOtumoetaiSpecialist musicTauranga is fast becoming a focus for early music musicians (performing music that dates from the 16th century), and this is such a rare and exciting phenomenon for us.
We have so much to look forward to.
This era of early music is specialised, even within academic circles, and it is not often performed outside the larger cities.
Tauranga has been developing its own scholarly, specialist early music niche, and this musical climate now seems to be attracting some brilliant, specialist musicians and audiences to us.
For example, we were recently treated to the Handel Consort and Quire (performing 18th century madrigals, and music by early composer Lassus) and on Saturday September 17 some beautiful French baroque music.
We also have the fast-approaching Arts Festival to look forward to.
It seems that Tauranga is becoming recognised in national musical circles for this early music and it is wonderful to have this unique niche added to all the amazing things that are already here.
(Abridged)
J Clarke, Avenues
Waterfront
Re: Strand and Dive Crescent waterfront.
Again, I totally agree with John Douglas (Your View, August 30).
His concept of taking up the concrete, planting grass and trees is excellent.
A place where people can walk, fish, sit and relax and enjoy the amazing harbour views.
A walking and cycle track would also be a great advantage.
Cafes, shops and places of business are just over the road - what more is necessary at this time?
An added benefit to this is that eventually when finances are available, development can go ahead.
Anything would be better than the bleak disaster and waste that we now have.
Mrs RF Granger, Matau
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