Marya Hopman
Doesn't it seem unreasonable to expect our local bodies to get it right all of the time?
Aren't we all aware that growth involves sometimes NOT getting things right?
All growth involves some risk. We'll never have all the answers and we never know what lies ahead, so not getting things right from the start is just part of the package.
For a local body that represents a large community, it's even more challenging because of the diversity of its people, their circumstances, needs, views and preferences.
Finding the perfect solution is just not going to happen!
If we want growth and vibrancy in our community we must accept that at times we're not going to get it right straight away, so how about giving the Napier City Council a break?
So it may not have been a popular decision to replace the name "War Memorial" and remove the Roll of Honour and flame.
And maybe the business plan for the Art Deco buses didn't work out as planned. And maybe the whole discussion about swimming pools, velodromes and multi-use centres could have been handled better.
However, we should acknowledge there would have been some logic, some reason, behind the decisions to pursue that particular line of action.
Questioning the wisdom, sense, accuracy and validity of any proposal or project has got to be a good thing, and should be respected and valued as part of the process.
But if a few who have the skill or the desire to get their words into the media, provide unbalanced information or inflammatory comments, this can lead to the public developing one-sided opinions about what is happening.
The result can be that sound projects are rejected through a negative environment based on nothing more than the loud opinions of those few.
How about celebrating the fact that we have a progressive and vibrant council, who are courageous enough to try new things in the name of building a strong and buoyant community?
Being a finalist in the Local Government NZ Excellence Awards for its Small City Big Ideas project proves just that.
Just look at some of the amazing projects from the past few years - the pier, the murals, the Pandora pond aquatic playground, the big events that have been attracted to the region, and the number of businesses moving into the area creating work.
NCC is definitely doing a lot of things right.
We just have to remember that along the way things will need to be fine-tuned - to expect immediate success is unrealistic.
We don't expect that from ourselves or other people, so why do we expect it from our council?
And with regards the velodrome - it is time to stop referring to it as stand-alone.
It is part of a Multi-Use Sports Facility (MUSF) that will meet a wide range of uses and will strengthen the future and functionality of Pettigrew Green Arena.
Andrew Frame quotes in his recent Talking Point about us being told that Napier "needs" a velodrome.
It's important to keep things in context. On the face of it, of course Napier doesn't
"need" a velodrome, however if Hawke's Bay wants to be seen as the centre of New Zealand cycling, it does.
Also look at the alternative - if the MUSF doesn't go ahead, a number of codes will miss out on the extra courts they desperately need, and PGA will miss out on the ability to host bigger events and increase revenue.
The power of the media is incredible and should be used wisely and positively.
I'd like to see less finger pointing and accusations and more strategies to find a middle ground and create win-win solutions.
Rather than say why things can't work, and who is at fault, let's ask how we can
make things work. How can we address people's concerns and at the same time celebrate what we're achieving?
• Marya Hopman is a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist.
• Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's.
Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz