Matamata Chronicle

When will this council listen to us?

- Marcel Bormans Margaret Cooke

It beggars belief: further work on a dog run, ratepayers’ money being wasted on non-essential work, and a shelter. For goodness sake take a brolly.

Rather, it would be more pertinent to provide shelter for people at the bus stop. Perhaps a toilet in Centennial Drive would eliminate the issue of people inadverten­tly walking in human excrement.

One would have thought the message was loud and clear at last year’s meeting with council: No non-essential work. Or is this council still not cognizant with rate payers’ issues.

This is irresponsi­ble management and ratepayers are over it.

Gaylene Lee

HAMILTON PARKING WOES

The main drawcard for my family and I to go into the Hamilton CBD is the free parking. We aren’t big spenders because we don’t really have a lot of spare cash to splash. However, sometimes it is nice to walk through town to see what is there and perhaps get the odd little thing.

Our other option, of course, is the Base. That requires a little longer travel for us but would become the preferred destinatio­n because they have free parking. Our rates are increasing substantia­lly and we feel that what we give to the council should cover the cost of this 2-hour free parking.

Currently our Hamilton CBD is a lot more lively than the Tauranga CBD that we have occasion to observe when we visit my wife’s mother, who lives in the center of town. A point of difference between them and us? Paid parking there

during the working week and free parking here.

We need to support our business owners rather than create “road blocks”. City workers also need somewhere to park, so we should support them if the business they work for can’t provide sufficient private parking – paid parking for the day but not too expensive. Clearly, it is a juggling act but my wife and I do wonder what the public would say concerning both removing the parking and how its loss would affect the frequency of their trips into town if a survey was sent out.

NO MOWING

I read both the articles in the Hamilton press about the no-mow of parks. We live near and use the Mangaiti Park. I can’t believe the limited mindset of those criticizin­g the initiative. In these times of global warming we need all measures to sustain insects, birds and wildlife for the future.

I love the look and appreciate it’s benefits to the natural environmen­t. I would like to see more trees planted in this area as well as our streets. During the hot period of summer each tree shade when walking was a blessing.

When the temperatur­e rises another degree or two we are going to need more trees and we should be starting now considerin­g they can take 20 years to reach maturity.

 ?? ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF ?? New toilet block or revamped dog run?
ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF New toilet block or revamped dog run?

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