Out of place: Letters, 30 November

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.

Strip club out of place on beautiful city Strand

To consider building a strip club near The Strand is a conflict of interest.

Much has been proposed and spoken of concerning attracting families to The Strand. Many plans have been discussed, drawn up, and money laid out focusing on "what will draw families to The Strand".

In no way would a strip club fit into this. Family friendly and strip club are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

To have a divided focus on what our Strand is, and could be, will not help Tauranga move forward as a good place for all ages.

I sincerely hope this strip club will not happen. It is not a positive move for our beautiful Tauranga.

Julie Pigneri, Tauranga

Give her a break

Reading the article regarding Chelsea Johns being denied dispensation for her sport (Bay Times, November 23). I know her personally, all 5'3" and possibly 49kg soaking wet, this girl has never missed a training session or game barring illness.

Dedication to the sport and team loyalty are great words to describe her. The team will not fall over without her in it as this past weekend's rounds of games proved: they won without her therefore no advantage to be gained by allowing her to take her rightful place in the up coming Junior Nationals.

I am led to believe that Volleyball NZ has never granted a dispensation.

The problem I have is, why have a dispensation rule if it isn't able to be applied to people like Chelsea?

I am sure the other four people denied would also question this rule. Chelsea was let down when told she was not eligible because of her age, then her hopes were raised with the prospect of a dispensation only to be let

down again by VNZ.

Please take the dispensation rule out of the rule book or use it like every other sport.

No one wants to see Adam quit over this as good coaches don't come along every day.

Ross Robertson, Mount Maunganui

Ticket sours day

I went down town on Saturday, hadn't been for ages. Parked my car, re-acquainted myself with favourite stores and friendly faces, had coffee, spent over $400 on Christmas gifts. A most enjoyable, relaxing two-hour experience.

On my car windscreen I found a "rewards voucher" saying, "Please pay $12 for not shifting your car after 60 minutes".

Did it actually matter which space I was in? I could however have shifted, and once in the car, just kept driving ... out of town.

Joy Beanland, Bethlehem

Smoke-free best

It would be great to have Tauranga smoke-free. I visited Bayfair Shopping Centre last week, walked out into the carpark on the Girven Rd side and the cigarette smoke was so bad, I had to use my inhaler for the first time in months. How can no-smoking be policed?

Wendy Galloway, Omokoroa