Letters: Bird aviary not all about the bottom line

The aviary at Rotokawau Virginia Lake is facing an uncertain future. Photo / Bevan Conley

When I visit Virginia Lake for my frequent walks, I usually park near the aviary. While it is not a big thing for me, it almost always brings a smile to my face.

Not so much because of the colourful birds flittering around within, but because of the joy and excitement of the children and families.

I am reasonably new to Whanganui, having arrived only six years ago, but I appreciate the values that I thought were prominent in the council’s thinking.

For me, Whanganui appears to be a pleasant city where families enjoy life, and activities are promoted to enhance that.

The recent elections were bound to bring changes. Are we now heading in a new direction where we can expect that council-run enterprises which we enjoy are about to be closed in the interest of saving money?

Consider the beautiful baskets of flowers hanging from lamp posts that make our main street so joyful. Surely they do not make a profit - so they can be chopped, right?

Hopefully not. They contribute to the quality of enjoying our main street.

It is not too much of a bigger stretch to view the aviary in the same way. It may run at a loss, but it has a business impact that is subtle, like the flowers.

How about applying another business model, and instead of chopping the aviary, expand it and enhance it? There are so many things that could be done to enhance the existing site and still maintain it as a fun family experience.

I am not against change, in fact, I have promoted plenty of it myself, but I ask that the net be cast wide and that the rationale be sound and based on a people model, not a business one. Are the options so cut and dried? [Abridged]

CHRYS HILL

Whanganui

Phantom left life-long memories

This week, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Graham and Mary Dack of Amdram. They are working within the Whanganui community and, aside from holding down regular jobs, have successfully and selflessly led a project involving hundreds of people, that brought a unanimous feeling of pride, joy, standard of excellence, common unity and a truly epic presentation of The Phantom of the Opera - recently performed at the Royal Whanganui Opera House.

I was fortunate to play violin within the orchestra, and came in during the final stages of the formation of this production.

Never before in my 16 years of living in this town have I witnessed our local community, young, middle-aged and old, brought together in such a way, both as performers and as an audience, to truly experience the absolute joy of performing arts in action.

We had the best of our local singers deliver some outstanding performances. The orchestra itself comprised many of our local players and itinerant teachers and their delivery was respectable and professional. Lynn Whiteside successfully led the direction of the music, assisted by the capable expertise of Caleb Arthur and Sharon Warburton.

Aside for the performers on stage and in the pit, the costume creations - led by Mary and her team - were works of art. The amazing set was the work of Terry Lobb and her creative team, and the powers at be with makeup, props, the backstage crew, lighting and sound need full acknowledgement. Hats off also to Bex Marshall, who is a local dance instructor, for her fabulous choreography.

In seeing this project through to closure, Graham and Mary have unleashed a ‘wow’ factor beyond words, and their tireless endurance and truly selfless leadership have left life-long memories for many of our local people.

LIZ ANDERSON

Whanganui