Letters: CBD desperately needs an update

Te Manawa, Rotorua's former City Focus. Photo / File

Upon reading Tuesday's Daily Post, I find another proposal to revamp the CBD.

Haven't we just completed one costing the thick end of $2 million and demolishing the City Focus in the process?

I have lived in Rotorua since 1951 and have seen Tutanekai St rejuvenated about four times, including a pedestrian-only mall, cycle paths, and Te Manawa.

Still, it does not bring the shoppers back.

The whole shopping centre is tired and old. With exceptions, almost all the buildings were old when I came to live here in 1951. They are still historic, but I bet the rental charges are right up to today's values.

The problems as I believe them to be, are: Tired shops - note the mall with its bright new shops is busy; the parking is a disaster; online shopping; satellite shopping centres with free parking.

Desperately needed in the CBD is the following: Bright new buildings built from wood if allowed by the building code, with reasonable rentals, rates, and charges; a decent parking system; big box shop in the northern end of Tutanekai St, to spread shoppers out throughout the city.

A business, forward-thinking council that serves up practical, sensible options. (Abridged)

John Smale
Rotorua

Parking system cost

While the council is considering free parking in the CBD, which I think is an excellent idea, I would like to see a complete accounting for the cost of the present parking system.

Council CFO Thomas Colle said the system earned $3 million a year, but what does it cost for the lease of the machines, the supervisory electric car, the attendants on foot, the computer backup at the council, the glass bubbles in the street, and any other costs involved?

And, of course, there is the unknown cost of the aggravation so many of us feel with a system that has divided the city into blue and green zones (why?), charges more for credit cards, has machines that don't take coins, and screens that are unreadable in the bright sun.

Delight Gartlein
Ngongotahā

High hopes for Cessna

First I heard it. Then I saw it. The wonderful Cessna float plane passing overhead with its load of tourists being mesmerised by the aerial view of Rotorua and our lakes.

This is a start (I assume they were Kiwis) and I look forward to the majestic De Havilland (Canada) Beaver lumbering across the skyline and almost being able to see the propeller turning.

I think Volcanic Air will survive with patronage such as this.

Let the floodgates open.

Richard Lyon
Rotorua

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