Another noisy storm in a teacup, says mayor
‘P-town’ will have no place in marketing strategies for Porirua City, assures mayor Nick Leggett, who claims his acceptance for the nickname was overstated in the media last week.
A front- page article in last Thursday’s Dominion Post detailed a new promotional game plan to draw new residents to Porirua. But it was the suggested appeal from Mr Leggett to ‘‘call us P-town’’ that sparked a fury of debate online, on talkback radio and in the homes of residents.
Many criticised the unsavoury association of the term to the drug ‘P’ – pure methamphetamine – and it would do little to improve Porirua’s reputation.
The mayor says he was asked by the media what he thought of the nickname and his answer had no relevance to the new marketing strategy.
‘‘Moving around the city, I hear ‘P-town’ used from time to time, by me too sometimes, often by residents and almost always by young people. The fact that the term’s use in such casual settings does not offend me is by no means a mayoral endorsement.
‘‘In any event, the phrase came into use without the council’s say-so and I doubt we can will it into extinction.’’
He says he was angered when it was suggested by some in the media that he wanted Porirua to be known as P-town and was actively promoting it through the new strategy.
‘‘I would never formally use this expression or promote its use. We have a name – Porirua – meaning the meeting of two tides and represented in our beautiful harbour. There are few people prouder than me about our name and what it signifies.’’
Mr Leggett says a lot of people use P-town affectionately in the way others use Welly, Palmy or Rotovegas. He understands many residents don’t like the term due to other connotations and that was fair enough too.
‘‘This issue has been a very noisy storm in a teacup. It’s given some people a chance to criticise the city ... We’re much better than that, though. We know that Porirua, in all its diversity and dynamism, is a great place to call home. ’’
Editorial p10