JIM SPIERS
Rotorua
Rotorua District Council works manager Peter Dine responds:
There are actually 15 free 15-minute parking spaces provided for this purpose within 50m of NZ Post.
Some of these spaces are right outside the building and all are within 60 seconds' walk. This is an increase of three spaces than at the previous NZ Post location.
Additionally, parking meter fees don't apply at all before 9am or after 5pm weekdays. Many residents use these quieter times to clear their post boxes.
The new CBD parking policy is also expected to help make parking easier for NZ Post customers. Increased parking fees in the busiest traffic volume sections of the CBD act as a disincentive for vehicles to park for long periods and help free up more parking spaces, with alternative cheaper or free parking available a short walk away.
While we will never please "all of the people all of the time" we have been very encouraged by the widespread support for the newly introduced parking policy.
Bypass a necessity
It appears the Government has decided Rotorua is just a tourist town that doesn't need any infrastructure improvement in its transport system. They want to put off starting the Eastern Arterial route until 2017 - why?
Have they spent more than they need to on Christchurch, Pike River and now face tidying up the MV Rena fiasco as well as the gas pipe failure?
I don't believe Rotorua will strangle in the meantime but the forecast increase [in traffic] will cause some congestion that will make the bypass more of a necessity than a luxury, as Government thinks it is.
I hope this little hiccup will give our beloved Rotorua District Council time to review the whole question of a bypass and let them take another look at the Victoria St bypass plans.
The council seems to think shifting a problem 200 yards south will sort out the heavy traffic problem in the central city forever. It won't. Then what will they do?
That chap from the Chamber of Commerce had the right idea for this but the council poo-pooed his suggestion and is sticking to its own idea, no matter how shortsighted it turns out to be.
Bring on 2017.
ROD PETTERSON
Rotorua
Airline display
Bay of Plenty Airways was a pioneering regional airline servicing Tauranga, Whakatane, Opotiki, Rotorua, Auckland and Wellington in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was the forerunner of the commuter airlines which allowed Auckland people to fly to the Bay of Plenty and back in the same day. It was also the pioneer of the direct Tauranga-Wellington route.
Tragically the founder of the airline, Alf Bartlett and all on board the Aero Commander aircraft ZK-BWA, were killed in a crash on Mount Ruapehu on November 21, 1961. Metal fatigue in a wing spar was later found to be the cause of the crash.
A permanent display commemorating the history of the airline, and a memorial to those who died, is being constructed at ClassicFlyers. The unveiling of the display is to take place at ClassicFlyers on Monday November 21, the 50th anniversary of the crash.
ClassicFlyers personnel are looking for memorabilia and/or data to support the display. This may be items which are gifted permanently for the display, or loaned just for the commemoration service.
If you can help us with this please email dianej@classicflyersnz.com or ph Classic FlyersNZ 07-5724000.
DIANE JEFFERY
ClassicFlyersNZ
Mount Maunganui
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