Letters: Church has strict no-drugs policy

William Rua sentenced in the Rotorua District Court. Photo/File

Re: "Dealing leads to CBD ban" (Rotorua Daily Post, September 26).

Your article almost makes it seem this person was dealing drugs in the church. This was not the case.

St Luke's has a very strict no-smoking and no-drugs policy that applies to the church premises inside and outside. Witnesses to this arrest were clear that it occurred outside the church in the public area.

Your article quotes the police summary which says that "Rua was at St Lukes". This wording suggests he was dealing drugs at the church when he was doing so outside the church in public space. It could just as accurately have said "opposite the library".

Our church does not condone or support the selling of illicit drugs. Anyone suspected of doing so near or in our church will be reported to the police promptly.

ALEX CZERWONKA
Vicar of St Lukes

The green corridor from Kuirau Park to Government Gardens via City Focus is a dismal failure due to the fact that it is not a direct route and cyclists don't need to go to the City Focus when on a recreational or sightseeing ride. The City Focus component is inconvenient and has many obstacles and safety issues.

After nearly two years, pedestrians on the dedicated green corridor are still surprised if a cyclist appears.

The rebuilt City Focus will only make the route worse as two focus road crossings with low use by cars will now have a much higher traffic volume.

On the green corridor through the new city focus to the east side of Fenton St, you have:
one low traffic crossing, two high traffic crossings (Fenton & Pukuatua), three medium traffic crossings, many obstacles on the cycleway, high pedestrian volume creating hazards for cyclist and pedestrian.

If the city centre corridor went all the way down Haupapa St on a shared footpath, crossed Fenton St (has convenient centre island), along east side of Fenton St to join the Hinemoa St dedicated green corridor, you would have two low traffic crossings, one high traffic crossing (with lights would also provide safe crossing to council facilities), low pedestrian volume.

Rotorua could have a successful and safe green corridor if the council stops being Trump like, admits they got it wrong, and fixes it.

RAY McCULLY
Rotorua

I totally agree with Jim Adams (Letters, September 29).

The gardens around our city are beautiful ... about the only thing that is! "Out of the rubble beauty appears!"

The council gardeners deserve all the credit for keeping Rotorua at least looking colourful. The mayor and councillors certainly don't deserve any credit.

Apart from the gardens, the city is a wreck! Put the money being used for new carpet and chairs and council building upgrade, the sculpture, and other totally unnecessary stupid ideas, towards getting the museum open again ... at least it was a money maker!

Stop wasting money on grandiose ideas!

VIV RADLEY
Rotorua