Whanganui letters to the editor: Have your say on local issues

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Readers share their views on local issues:

Hands up those who have exercised their democratic right and made a submission to the Whanganui District Council's Long-Term Plan 2021–2031?

What about those who actually know that the council wants to hear from you? Anyone seen the glossy 47-page consultation document? Read the advertisements in the paper? Downloaded said glossy document onto their computers?

From my own informal research among friends and acquaintances, I would guess very few. The assumption by the council that we all live in an exclusively digital world and read newspapers, is a long way off the mark of reality.

Every ratepayer has a right to input in these decisions, and, it seems, the council's method of connecting with them is, in this instance, abysmal. I would be interested to know how and to whom the physical, glossy document was distributed.

To enlighten the uninformed: among other things, the council wants submissions on four important issues – the Davis Library extension, roofing the velodrome, providing places and spaces for youth and implementing a coastal plan.

Go to www.whanganui.govt.nz/long-term-plan, or email policysubmissions@whanganui.govt.nz. For those without digital means phone 349 0001. Submissions close on Friday, April 30 at 5pm.

JOAN ROSIER-JONES
Whanganui East

I note there has been quite a bit of publicity around the proposed roofing of the velodrome recently, in an attempt I suspect to get this project on to the Whanganui District Council Long Term Plan list.

While I am not opposed to this project I am not sure we have all the facts on the table. I was contracting to the council for a number of years as building maintenance carpenter and during this time I was requested to carry out work at the velodrome on a number of occasions which required me to venture under the track where the timber trusses that support the track are housed.

I could not help but notice the effect the weather had on these trusses - practically on the nail plates holding these trusses together which were showing serve corrosion in quite a number of places.

Can someone from the cycling fraternity or the council let us know if these timber trusses have been inspected recently by a structural engineer as to their integrity and more importantly as to what their projected life span is?

If the council has this info that's fine but it should be released to the community, and if they don't have this info one cannot see how they can make an informed decision as to adding it to the Long Term Plan!

After all, no one in their right mind would want to put a new roof on a rotten building if that proves to be the case.

The other point that concerned me somewhat was the expectation from the cycling folk that the Whanganui ratepayers should be lumbered with the cost for this proposed project when I strongly think that there would be a high percentage of ratepayers that would never visit or make use of the facility.

If any of the above information is in fact available then let's have it out in the public arena so that us folk can make an informed opinion.

GRAHAM HAWTREE
Springvale

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