Letters: Civic buildings with security fencing a waste and eyesore

Rotorua Museum remains closed. Photo / File

I am intrigued by the security fencing around both the museum and Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre buildings since they were closed.

In both cases the security fencing is hard against both buildings, if there was an earthquake it would achieve nothing whatsoever.

This strikes me as an absolute waste of ratepayers' money as both buildings are locked up so no one can enter them anyway.

If it is so critical to keep the public safe why was it removed for the visit of Harry and Meghan and then reinstated.

It is an unnecessary costly eyesore that serves no purpose whatsoever.

Peter Breen
Rotorua

Green corridor blunder

Shame that it has taken four years for the council to admit that they made a major blunder constructing a "green corridor", costing $442,000.

With the removal of about 50 car parks, it must have cost businesses many thousands as well. One of them even had to close down completely. I wonder how much it will cost us to revert back to normal.

The other blunder in my opinion was the bulldozing of our City Focus, turning it into the most dangerous intersection I have ever seen. The council called all this "revitalisation" of the CBD. Really? Do they know the meaning of the word?

The next major project is the waterfront with the removal of the carpark overlooking the lake, the Soundshell, the Sea Scout building, etc. Regarding the cost of all this I have heard several worrying figures.
(Abridged)

Harry Brasser
Rotorua

Lakefront redevelopment

Councillor Karen Hunt (News, April 1) states in relation to the proposed $40 million lakefront redevelopment that "… anything that's already in motion and where funding has been established, those projects carry on".

There is a groundswell of opposition to the $40m spend for a project that includes removal of the Soundshell, enhanced landscaping, a sculpture park and lake edge improvements even though almost half is coming from the Government - ie taxpayers.

So Rotorua homeowners and renters (who pay rates in their rent) who are also taxpayers will actually pay twice.

Most importantly, how does this project create "a strong business case" as Karen Hunt and others on the council who are driving the project promote?

How does this redevelopment generate income to help pay back $20m of increased debt?

What needs to be asked is what contracts have been signed, prematurely I might add, given detailed designs are still being finalised, and do these contracts reflect probable changes when the council make-up changes in October through the democratic process of local body elections?

Paul Carpenter
Rotorua

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