Letters: Cycleway construction from a different view

Drone photo of the footpath work. Photo / Brian Holden

After weeks of dodging traffic cones along Springfield Rd, I decided it was time to put my drone in the air to see how the new cycleway/footpath looked from a bird's eye perspective.

There's no doubt about it, the construction workers are displaying unsurpassed expertise and I would get them to lay my driveway any day. Five stars for their superb work.

But oh boy, how much is all this going to cost? Is there indeed a final figure? How much will they be used? And really, do we need such staggeringly wide pathways around the city at the expense of narrowing the roads?
Brian Holden
Springfield

Reserves damaged
The Hannahs Bay and Holdens Bay reserves were also severely damaged at the weekend with hoons churning up the grass surface and damaging play equipment, recycling bins, etc.

People must know who these fools are, and reporting to the police is the first step.

Although one resident in Holdens Bay stated that the police were too slow to respond, as often when they arrived, the culprits had disappeared.

People are too afraid to get involved to get number plates and the fear of personal attack or retaliation is deterring people reporting.

Council spends millions of dollars in the sports and recreation space every year and this senseless abuse of public property seems to be acceptable, as reporting of its activity is non-existent.
[Abridged]
Charles Sturt
Sports and Recreation Lead

Landfill future
I see that both landfills and recycling are being discussed by the council, as is "sustainability".

I recall that, some years ago, the Rotorua landfill was predicted to have about a 75-year life as "cells" are opened up and filled. I am sure there was some discussion about Rotorua accepting "out-of-town" material at a profit. Nevermind, the thing is that the Rotorua landfill had allegedly much capacity available.

Now, it seems that the Rotorua landfill is uneconomic in some way.

To meet the dual objectives of recycling and economic disposal, I suggest that the landfill be operated more responsibly by allocating "cells" to the disposal of special materials, for example plastics.

This acknowledges the long-term view that they can, in future, be "mined" to fill a shortage of such materials, made from oil, when they become scarce and valuable. The present cost will be much less than operating a recycling business.

I note that old sawdust landfills in New Zealand have been "mined" for use as an energy source.
Peter Dare
Rotorua