Wood could be used
So we now have another councillor with an ego project. This time it is Karen Hunt wanting to make Rotorua the art centre of the country.
Our council promised us, if elected, to reduce debt and make sure that Rotorua, as a city close to forestry, would use wood in the first instance as a principal choice in as many new developments as possible.
Since that time we have bought a metal Christmas tree - maybe conifers are hard to find around here.
What was to be a metal sculpture at the new Hemo Rd roundabout is now to be a carbon fibre one.
Why not wood?
Councillor Hunt says "we have the places for significant sculptures" no mention yet of costs or whether we are in dire need of them.
If we are to go ahead with this ego project, may I suggest we place these sculptures around Te Manawa, which is difficult enough to negotiate as it is, but pedestrians and traffic may be able to read all about the various art displays.
Maybe some shade sails could be introduced. We could make access even more inviting by restricting the flow of traffic in the Hinemoa/Tutanekai Sts area.
We could then rename it Te Manawa City Focus.
I would like to suggest that with the council seeming hell bent on privatisation is it possible to privatise council?
(Abridged)
Mike Long
Rotorua
Council services outsourced
The reason for the council outsourcing the running of the Aquatic Centre is to provide a more efficient and cost-effective service.
Is this an admission of failure by the council, an admission that it hasn't the ability to run efficient and cost-efficient services?
Maybe this inability explains part of the reason for our huge and growing debt.
Paddi Hodgkiss
Rotorua
