Letters to the editor: Those fighting for Rotorua should be applauded

Rotorua readers have their say on our city. Photo / Felix Desmarais

I applaud all those people fighting for the city and residents of Rotorua regarding emergency housing.

The reason some motels are happy with the Government wanting another five-year extension on the use of contracted motels is the fact they are raking in millions of dollars. Some motels are operating in breach of the district plan.

If so many homeless people had not come to our once-beautiful city over a couple of years, I believe the homes built in Rotorua during this time, filling every available space, would have housed Rotorua's homeless prior to this influx.

Placing hundreds of people in motels is just like the tower blocks in London, and council estates [don't] work.

It is unhealthy and causes mental and physical distress.

Do the Government and Kāinga Ora really feel that building compounds such as the one on Ranolf Street help Rotorua and the homeless, or is the Government simply justifying its ideas of housing on a grand scale?

And will the Government, now it has changed tenancy rules, evict unruly tenants found to be wrecking homes built with taxpayers' money and disturbing and threatening neighbours in these compounds? Or will it just make those around troublemakers put up with it?

There is so much space in NZ. The Government and Kāinga Ora need to open their eyes and build out of city centres in many areas for the welfare of people needing homes and all New Zealanders, instead of using just one city such as Rotorua.

Viv Radley
Rotorua

Aquatic Centre funding a good call

Six months ago, when Tania Tapsell launched her campaign for mayor, she said her priority would be to "stop the spend". She highlighted the Aquatic Centre renovation as an example of where "it's prudent to stop and reset and potentially tighten our belt".

So it was a pleasant surprise to read that Tapsell, despite the rhetoric on the campaign trail, delcared she would continue the spending on community facilities with her announcement that Stage Two of the Aquatic Centre upgrade would go ahead.

I 100 per cent agree with Tapsell that the Aquatic Centre is a hugely important asset to our community, which is why I am pleased that she is supportive of the council spending $15 million to upgrade the facility, with $8m from the Government's Three Waters Be Better Off fund.

It is vital that the Rotorua community has affordable and accessible public assets such as the Aquatic Centre to give everyone an equal chance to learn, compete and play together.

Tapsell has shown pragmatism in not letting politics get in the way of doing what's right for our community.

I won't be alone in looking forward to more decisions like this.

Ryan Gray
Rotorua

Halloween okay, littering not

Many of my generation hate Halloween and all that goes with it, but I'm more than happy to hand out sweets.

What I hate is the liberal dropping of sweet wrappers on the footpaths and gardens the following day.

Parents, please remind your children that that is not okay.

Paddi Hodgkiss
Rotorua

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