Letters to the editor: Hemo sculpture a 'triumphant realisation'

A reader says he is sure the kaumatua he knew in his day would have welcomed Te Ahi Tupua. Photo / File

When I was a Rotorua District councillor in the 1980s, Cr Johnny Lepper promoted the idea of a jumping trout sculpture in Lake Rotorua near the lakefront, to celebrate Rotorua as an anglers' paradise.

The idea could have been refined into an artistic, symbolic piece with wide appeal — but lack of vision killed it.

Congratulations to all on the council and in the community who have seen Rotorua's new sculpture through to its triumphant realisation.

Its beauty and layers of meaning will long outshine and outlast any mean-spirited, short-sighted opponents. I am sure the kaumatua I knew in my day, and that wonderful historian Don Stafford, would have welcomed Te Ahi Tupua as I do. Kia manawanui, Rotorua!

Roger Steele
Kapiti

City needs improving next summer

Come on Rotorua - we can do better than this. I brought my visitors into town on Saturday.

They were keen to see a popular store which advertises regularly in a national magazine. Guess what - closed! Would you believe it?

We then went for coffee in a coffee bar opposite the aforesaid mentioned shop (one of the few coffee shops open). I observed person after person hopefully striding towards the shop, and being knocked back by closed doors.

Embarrassing. Now we all need time off, but I would have thought there would be people only too happy to take over so that Rotorua does not close over holiday periods.

Do we want to be seen to be eager beavers or lazy? Let's improve this situation for next year.

A N Christie
Rotorua

Rotorua a homeless capital

So CBD is "ripe for the picking"! (Rotorua Daily Post, January 5)

New businesses setting up and "bright plans are in the pipeline for the city".

The previous day the headlines were "Shoplifting at its highest and staff threatened". This too is "ripe for the picking".

Even the boss of Watchdog Security said "things are getting worse in the city".

Has anyone noticed the timeframe of Rotorua now being the "Capital of the Homeless" and moteliers owning motels and hotels needing to spend the money they're getting to tidy up their premises, organisations giving out food parcels, inundated with people, shootings, shoplifting at its highest, and residents being threatened and robbed?

Maybe this timeframe is just a coincidence ... I think not!

Viv Radley
Rotorua

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