Letters: Council working at pace before local body elections

Wow – the council is sure keeping the foot on the pedal of progress by starting a myriad of "big move" projects before the next election, now only a mere four months away.

When you put Pedal to the Metal – you do something with as much speed and effort as possible.

To quote the Tatau Tatau Long Term Plan March 2018 edition under Whakarewarewa Forest & Te Ara Ahi Cycleway Extension, "A total of $7.5m has been set aside across 1-3 of the LTP to deliver. Council will look to secure one third of the project costs from external funding".

This would have reduced the ratepayer's liability to $5m.

Now the council has changed its tune. According to RLC website, it has doubled the budget and "allocated" the full $7.5m (lingo for ratepayer's debt and interest) along with $7m contributed by the Government's Provincial Growth Fund.

The Whakarewarewa Forest "Hub site" will transform the gravel carpark into a sealed carpark with a toilet and shower facility and an event space and seated area.

As part of the project Long Mile Rd and the Visitor Centre at the Redwoods will be upgraded.

Can't see the wood for the trees? By focusing on detail you lose perspective and miss what is important. Another budget overrun where it is doubled before it is even started?

Value for ratepayer's money or will this be another case of haste makes more waste? Will it end up an attraction for freedom campers?

Let's set the wheels in motion for change in the next election, before the "hub caps" fall off.

Tracey McLeod
Lake Tarawera

Autumn leaves

It's that time of year again - leaves falling off trees, heavy rain, blocked drains, flooding, and yet our council keeps planting more deciduous trees.

Why not just plant evergreens and native trees?

The cost of cleaning up leaves each year must be costly and the nutrient run off into the lake from rotting leaves must be bad.

Chriss Taylor
Rotorua
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