So it was disappointing, while walking around the bridges on Sunday morning, to discover, after several years, nothing had been done and the walkway was again under water.
What was concerning was I observed a local, umbrella in hand, crossing over the railway lines instead of having to walk through the puddles to Poutini St.
Not ideal, and how many other locals are also taking this dodgy alternative route to avoid the puddles.
The WDC needs to sort out this walkway. Concrete would be perfect.
SHANE FOSTER
Kaitoke
Horrible plants
I am horrified with the recent "upgrade" of Rangiora St, the road to a yet-to-be completed enhancement of Castlecliff Beach.
The upgrade of the road and the crossing strips between the sides are fine. It is the kerbside planting which is ridiculous.
Rather than native shrubs and smaller native trees that thrive on the west coast of Aotearoa, we have been deemed to be expected to enjoy and appreciate horrible succulents.
We do not live in the deserts of Mexico or California. We live on the beautiful wet and warm West Coast.
Our city's landscape architects should be sacked.
JIM COOGAN
Castlecliff
District council senior parks officer Wendy Bainbridge responds:
Hi, Jim. The recent landscaping work on Rangiora St was a community-led project. The council consulted on the design for the planting at Progress Castlecliff meetings and received positive feedback.
The community members involved in the Castlecliff Rejuvenation Project intentionally chose plants that in time will give Rangiora St a stunning and iconic look on a national level.
Not every piece of landscaping work will suit all tastes, but we try to use a variety of species and looks to suit the environment. Pitt Island nikau, which is a native, has been planted at the entrance to Rangiora St to provide a mix of species for the area.
We've had very supportive comments about the planting on the council's Facebook page, with people congratulating the council and Progress Castlecliff and telling us it is "awesome", "amazing" and "fabulous".
Fishing cameras
There are a couple of points in the letter from DTS Grace (Chronicle, March 13) about the fishing industry that need clarification.
Firstly, not all fishing vessels have cameras on boats.
Those companies that are committed to greater transparency on the water are making the investment -- which is not insignificant and is over and above statutory requirements -- to install electronic monitoring on their vessels because a sustainable fishery is the foundation of their business. Without it, they are out of business. Secondly, the fishing companies are not in control of the video footage. The onboard cameras are sealed and tamper-proof, and all of the footage is available to the Ministry for Primary Industries, who are the regulators and enforcement agency.
The electronic monitoring initiative was an industry-led, voluntary initiative, which the Government is now catching up to.
We fully support the Government stepping up with their IEMRS (Integrated Electronic Monitoring and Reporting System) proposal for application across the industry. We agree with you in that it is not the role of industry to enforce compliance and nor should it be, for that truly would be the foxes guarding the chicken coop.
It is wrong to imply that because some of the industry have invested in the development of world-leading surveillance technology they are somehow up to no good. It's quite the opposite.
It's a great example of the quota management system driving the right behaviours where quota owners and fishers are motivated to ensure fisheries sustainability because they have everything to lose.
CARL CARRINGTON
Chief executive, Moana New Zealand
Picture shock
I'm an avid reader of our lovely local paper but am a bit concerned regarding the March 2 front page.
I understand that the all-important front page is to encourage, draw in, and catch the eye of the reader to purchase the product.
If I were purchasing the paper at the local dairy today I would certainly not do that! I'm sure that lady eating the ice-cream would not have liked the Frankenstein approach either.
There were some lovely pictures (as usual) inside the paper, which saved the day for me, but "ugly" front pages don't sell newspapers.
FAY CHAMBERLAIN
Whanganui
