Letters to the editor: Rotorua's pride in presentation needs restoring

Many motels along Fenton St are being used to house homeless. Photo / NZME

Letting the grass grow under your feet is an expression meaning to wait before doing something, or to do something slowly.

Everyone in Rotorua knows that Fenton St has been used to house the homeless in motels and has been suffering from litter, graffiti and abandoned supermarket trolleys, generally becoming shabby.

Rotorua used to win Beautiful City awards. The last one was in 2010.

A new broom sweeps clean is an expression when people newly appointed to positions of responsibility tend to make far-reaching changes.

International visitors and tourists may be arriving in April and May.

Does Rotorua need a new broom? Does it need to polish up its act?

What's happened to the street sweeper? Is it on reduced duties?

I noticed tall weeds growing in the gutter around the traffic islands on Fenton St by Mobil and the grass wasn't groomed or trimmed around the trees or the edges.

Please council, at least present the city's main thoroughfares into the city in tip top condition.

Restore the pride in presentation, as you need to lift the community spirit.

Tracey McLeod
Lake Tarawera

Rotorua not welcoming for tourists

We need tourists in Rotorua, and we need them badly.

A brief walk around the town does little to give any confidence for the tourist industry.

The theatre is mothballed for the foreseeable future, likewise the museum is derelict. In fact, with the number of empty shops and the deserted streets, there is little to entice anyone, let alone tourists with money to spend.

Try getting a drink or a slice of cake after 3pm. Most of our few cafes are closed and barred by then.

I have visited many tourist towns around the world but seldom have I seen one less welcoming than Rotorua.

Jim Adams
Rotorua

Unvaccinated should pay for medical treatment

More people are getting Covid-19 and it has proved people who have not had the jab are the larger proportion of those getting sick.

In my opinion, it is time people who choose not to be vaccinated just because they don't want to should have to pay in full for their medical treatment because they are the ones stretching our health system at the expense of those who need elective surgery.

The payment should be required before any medical help is given.

It is interesting I have made this comment on a number of occasions to our medical fraternity and they agree because they are the ones being put under stress for a minority, and I am getting very tired of subsidising people who think they can have everything for nothing.

Graham Holloway
Gate Pa