Opinion: Road works mess could bury Quarry

Aerial photo of the Quarry Arts Centre. Photo / John Stone

Re: Northern Advocate (September 25) "Confidence good for region".

The first paragraph reads "Small businesses in Northland are tracking some of the most significant growth in the country, as national revenue growth hits its highest level in five years." Up until about February this year, we of the Quarry Craft Co-op, based at the Quarry Arts Centre, Selwyn Ave, Whangarei, could have said the same.

Our sales revenue was slowly but steadily climbing, and had done so for several years, a trend opposite to that shown in the rest of New Zealand during the period.

We are a long-established, well-known co-operative business, staffed solely by volunteers, selling quality craft products on behalf of about 30 artists.

I have been a co-op member for 12 years and, in that time, our quality standards have steadily risen, with much of the work sold being purchased by tourists and taken all over the world, as well as across New Zealand.

However, during the last nine months, particularly since work began on the Western Hills Drive - Selwyn Ave intersection and the resulting complete closure of Selwyn Ave between Western Hills Dr and Fifth Ave visitor numbers - and sales - have crashed dramatically.

It seems that the locals are just not bothering to go to the trouble of fighting their way through the chaos, and most of the tourists, being strangers in town, are scared to try. Sure, there is a "Quarry Arts Centre" sign (with arrows) at the Western Hills Drive-Central Avenue corner and another at the Central Avenue-Fifth Avenue junction.

Fine, you might say. The catch is that 50 metres further along Fifth Avenue, one is confronted by another which reads "Road Closed Ahead". How ridiculously misleading and ambiguous can it get for goodness sake? If there must be such a notice in place, surely to goodness the logical place for it would be right at the Fifth Ave-Selwyn Ave corner, with appropriate arrows, to indicate that the Quarry is, as always, readily accessible.

Come to that, a simple "Left Turn Only" sign would suffice.

I have never disputed the need for the road works to be done, quite the reverse, but it appears that now it has been extended for another two months - to the end of November.

This immediately impinges further upon our busiest period of the year - the lead-up to Christmas, and adversely affects our ability to do the right thing by the artists who depend at least partially upon us for their income. If this state of affairs continues for too much longer, we will be in danger of losing many of our loyal base of artists, shop staff, and long-time customers.

It is also demoralising for the staff to sit there day after day with hardly anybody coming through the door.

The main things we need are:

(a) More and larger main road signage, possibly including signs advertising the presence of toilets at the Quarry - a prime consideration for travellers passing through.

(b) The immediate removal of that ludicrous "road closed ahead" sign.

(c) A little more readiness from the powers that be to discuss these issues.

(d) More regard for the Quarry Arts Centre as long-valued and respected community facility.

• Sid Ware is a long-time member of the Quarry Craft Co-op and Friends of the Quarry.