Future for city
Much has been said about what the Hundertwasser (HWMAC) will do artistically because it is colourful, bold and uniquely different and will add vibrancy and interest to our city.
But there are sound commercial reasons for the Hundertwasser to be built:
1. Raewyn Tan (Cruise New Zealand) states that it will "consolidate the attractiveness of Whangarei as a port of call" and "certainly add to the tourism texture of Whangarei".
2. G. Uster (Neuseeland News) states that high yield tourists from Europe (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) who come to NZ including Northland would be drawn to Whangarei if they knew that the Hundertwasser was built here. "This is a group that spends $470 million pa in the country." At the moment they hardly know that Whangarei exists.
3. Kevin Roberts (Saatchi and Saatchi boss) states that the "Hundertwasser would distinguish Northland on the world stage and instantly transform the locale into a tourism magnet."
4. Andrew Fonagy (developer) states that "the Hundertwasser would be the clincher for making a high end hotel viable in Whangarei that he is willing to build.
5. Three different feasibility studies have confirmed that the Hundertwasser (HWMAC) will be profitable.
6. Extra tourists visiting Whangarei will boost commercial and hospitality activity in the CBD.
If you haven't already voted I hope that you will seriously think about voting for the Hundertwasser (Option B).
We need to do something that will boost employment, keep our younger citizens here and give our city a future (unemployment is currently 9.9 per cent). The other options (A and C) are totally unimaginative choices and will do nothing for our Whangarei City community.
Alan Curry
Maunu, Whangarei
Traffic horror
Heather Carthew struggles to decide whether my recent article is a positive or negative opinion. She believes "WDC will come up with some solutions" for the traffic and parking issues.
Attempting to transfer 160,000 visitors from SH1 to the Town Basin (and back again), without commissioning a comprehensive traffic management appraisal is like not letting the facts get in the way of a good story. I can assure Heather the additional traffic will totally screw up the already congested street system and cram the limited parking areas, throughout the tourist season.
WDC may be able to alleviate some chaos, by totally removing most CBD on-street parking and charging dearly for all off-street parking, but that will not cater for coaches, motorhomes and cars towing caravans and trailers that will require acres more space.
I have no pecuniary interest in hoping to cream-off the side benefits of the Hundertwasser nor Harbourside proposals. I do have an extensive background in traffic management, including co-ordinating the biggest one-day change ever to traffic patterns in Auckland City, when the motorway links and city streets were made one way.
WDC have no magic wand to create more time to move traffic, or extensively widen intersections. You simply can't put a quart into a pint bottle!
I did not conjure up over 160,000 visitors pa the proponents assure us will arrive. The positive "legacy" they say the development will leave our grandchildren may instead become an everlasting debt paying for the additional parking areas, higher parking fees and any deficits beyond $2 million.
The proposals are not necessarily wrong, the problem is their location.
Logically, the short answer can only be No. Vote Option C for Demolition.
Dave Murray
Kauri
