I worked hard to retrain my brain, and of course, you go through huge mood swings.
The simplest of things can get you down ... like trying to do up your zip on your jacket.
You have got to be a selfish buggar and always keep an eye on the end goal. It is the challenge of your life failure is not an option.
People are going to try to put you in a box from now on but don't let them and never cry over spilt milk.
The future is forward at full steam.
This is a fine example of the glass half full theory you don't look at what you've lost you look at your second chance of life and make the most of it.
Gavin Muir
Rotorua
We would like to provide some facts following potentially misleading information on your letters page (Paddi Hodgkiss, October 12 ) regarding the lakefront development.
The project was part of consultation on Council's 2018-28 Long-term Plan with multiple feedback options provided to encourage as many people in our community as possible to have their say. More than 1350 groups and individuals gave verbal and written feedback which was considered by elected members as part of long-term plan decision-making.
Consultation information included proposed spending.
A new playground will be built adjacent to the current one. Carparking is not being removed but apart from some disability and drop-off parks, will be relocated and potentially increased.
Existing trees are incorporated in the design plans and Memorial Drive is being retained, with parking to be added there.
People will be able to walk freely along the water's edge and the wider lakefront areas as well as along the proposed 5-metre wide boardwalk to be constructed over the water.
Safety, environmental and operational matters, including lake level fluctuations and the need to allow for lake weed removal, are among considerations the expert designers and engineers working on the detailed design are taking into account.
It is important to note that what has been shared to date is the concept, not detailed, design. The detailed design is not yet complete. However, there is a lot of concept detail publicly available on the council website www.rotorualakescouncil.nz (go to "key projects" at the top of the home page, then to the lakefront development project page).
Craig Tiriana
Acting Chief Executive
Rotorua Lakes Council
Lakefront plan was in LTP
In Thursday's edition of the Rotorua Daily Post, a correspondent wrote in suggesting the proposed Lakefront upgrade should be put to a binding referendum after the "hoo-ha" that have arisen about it.
The correspondent evidently missed the council's long-term plan document which arrived in their mailbox in March this year; this document gave every Rotorua resident the ability to have their say on the Lakefront Upgrade.
For those who had their say on the Lakefront upgrade, 53 per cent voted in favour, with 47 per cent against.
So there we have it, the "hoo-ha" can settle.
Not so fast. This, unfortunately, points to the larger issue at hand, the correspondent may be representative of a large portion of our city that are keen to have their views heard on council matters, but don't know how, or don't find the elected members are accessible enough to make their views known kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face)
Progress is a good thing, Rotorua needs to move with the times to ensure that we remain a place that people want to live, visit and invest in.
However, if we don't actively listen and act on our resident's concerns, we risk splitting our city leading to elections which promote candidates who actively seek to curtail progress, instead of those who will bring everyone forward together. (Abridged)
Ryan Gray
Rotorua
