Editorial: Vandals depriving many of crowd favourite

Andrew Austin, editor of Hawke's Bay Today.

There is no question that Hawke's Bay has plenty to offer both tourists and locals alike.

There are the natural spots like Te Mata Peak or Ocean and Waimarama beaches, while some council parks and man-made structures have enhanced the appeal.

Take the viewing platform on Marine Parade in Napier for example. It was built to cover an eyesore of an outflow pipe and while it created some chatter in the beginning, it has really become a crowd favourite.

It is a relatively simple structure and did not cost much in the grand scheme of things, but it is just stunning on a beautiful summer's day. The view to Cape Kidnappers is breathtaking.

So one has to wonder why someone thought it was a good idea to smash the glass railing repeatedly. Last week was the fourth time it has been shattered since the structure opened 18 months ago.

Mayor Bill Dalton is not wrong when he calls the vandalism "soul destroying" and is quite rightly questioning whether council should keep replacing the broken barriers when they get smashed.

They will this time, but Mr Dalton said his council may simply to give up on the glass look and put bars or some other barrier in place. How terrible would that be? As usual it would be one thoughtless vandal (or more) ruining it for everyone else.

The latest tourism spending data has shown Hawke's Bay is up 8 per cent compared with the year to May 2016. This means people are coming here and enjoying what we have to offer.

Having a lovely glass-encased platform to gaze out at the sea is one of those things.

It would be a shame if that simple pleasure was taken away from us by vandals.