Roger Handford is wondering why Trust Tairāwhiti hasn't announced funding to save suicide prevention service Hear4U, and how one would indigenise a former pub.
OPINION
Hear4U missing from trust’s funding list
I note Hear4U was not included in the latest list of Trust Tairāwhiti funding handouts.
I would have thought Hear4U was a fitting recipient, considering the mental health and suicide prevention work it has been doing in the community.
I do not understand why Hear4U was not considered for help, as a lack of funding support was one of the reasons for it having to cease its work.
Also, many people vouched for the value of Hear4U and the success it had achieved.
Adding to my puzzlement, Trust Tairāwhiti has seen fit to fund “a feasibility study” by the Tolaga Bay Inn Charitable Trust, to the tune of $16,000, to “understand the opportunity to buy, restore, and indigenise the Tolaga Bay Inn, preserving its historical and cultural significance . . .”
I have no idea how one “indigenises” a building, or even what that means - and I was unaware that building had cultural significance, other than as a former pub.
Perhaps the trust might care to further enlighten us as to its funding rationale, beyond the bland “wellbeing framework” and “meaningful outcomes”. And consider what might be done for Hear4U.
Roger Handford
Skate park in wrong place
Come on guys!! Let’s admit it. Forget about the road, the skate park is in the wrong place.
The town planners have got it completely wrong in placing the skate park where it is, without any foresight as to parking, accessibility or disruption to existing roads and services.
If there is to be almost $1m spent on the road, which will never work anyway, why not build a skate park in the middle of a paddock where there will be ample parking and no disruption to existing traffic. Surely there are plenty of open spaces around town.
Why not somewhere where facilities are already available, accommodation is close by and it is not too far from the city centre?
Kathy Lidgard
Just widen footpath
I agree with the protesters. My shortcut to Bunnings, Three Rivers and The Warehouse is no longer! And those road humps are vicious.
All Grey St needs is for the footpath to be widened for bikes, skateboards etc, and pedestrians, then the road left as it was.
Ruth Newton
Worse without Hale?
Re: Cyclone Hale highlighted land management issues, Gabrielle the final straw - July 11 story.
Ironically, in some ways Hale’s debris shown in the photo with this story potentially saved Gisborne from far greater destruction.
Fortunately this amount of Hale debris was removed from the system prior to Gabrielle’s arrival.
Imagine the total devastation had it arrived combined with the sheer amount that came down with Gabrielle?
It could have meant loss of bridges resulting in sewage and power links being severed; loss of road links to the Coast; widespread flooding to areas only just spared from Gabrielle; much of upstream Gisborne inundated, possibly the GDC offices . . . the list goes on.
Perish the thought.
Peter Millar
Yet to be convinced
Re: New rules target erosion risk: GDC plans signal major shift in land management, July 5 story.
In principle, I can’t see why most farmers and forestry owners would disagree with the broad objectives of this plan. At first glance, it appears to be something that takes into account all the positive and negative effects on those who depend on these two industries for their livelihoods.
However, it remains to be seen whether this plan accommodates the real needs of the communities affected or is just cover for an ideological land grab by those who want to lock the place up and throw away the key.
And the reason why I have yet to be convinced we have nothing to fear is in the apparent contradictions in the wording of the press release describing council’s intended process for introducing the new laws.
On the one hand, the article refers to a “mandated” transition to permanent vegetation cover but in another refers to “options” available to farmers and landowners. That sounds like talking out of both sides of your mouth.
Most responsible landowners accept that there will have to be new rules around what individuals can do with their own property, but this type of “double talk” doesn’t instil confidence that these changes will be the result of the future consultations we are told will take place.
Council and its advisers will have to be more open about what they are proposing, unless they want a withdrawal of the goodwill offered by key groups in the discussions up until now.
You will never be able to introduce laws that are unenforceable if the main people affected by the changes refuse to obey a dictate that is clearly not in their best interests. It doesn’t need to be this way.
Clive Bibby
Overdue for denuded land
Re: New rules target erosion risk: GDC plans signal major shift in land management, July 5 story.
Long overdue for our denuded land. Hopefully it can be properly enforced so our battered environment can start to recover.
Tanya Hawthorne
Things to celebrate
Re: Courageous people not afraid to rock boat until it is overturned, July 11 column.
Absolutely. The world today, at least in this country and many other liberal societies, is far more tolerant and less prejudiced than it was in the past. It’s good to hear it clearly acknowledged and celebrated, as it is in this column.
Ewan McGregor
How a resilient Kiwi village hopes to bounce back from a big drop in visitors.