They dropped the ball

I believe that the planned fit-out of the new airport terminal will be very impressive and honour the original land owner’s heritage.

That doesn’t mean that the first international passenger flight to New Zealand, flown in the Southern Cross, Kingsford Smith’s most famous aircraft, should not also be honoured.

The mural was an ‘‘unbudgeted item’’ only because both the NPDC and the council-controlled organisation running the build dropped the ball.

The terminal is planned to be completed within the budget of $28.7 million.

So, why not pick the ball up and instead of looking at ways to not include the mural, do as we’ve always done here and look for ways to make it work with the balance of the unspent budget.

The brainpower in that team has the energy to do so.

Alternatives: Puke Ariki? Do they have the room for it? Would they exhibit it? If so, for how long? And then what?

It’s right to honour those who occupied the land previously and made the ground for the airport available.

It’s also right to honour one of Taranaki’s most historic moments – the first passenger flight across the Tasman.

That flight to New Plymouth paved the enthusiasm for air travel.

That’s the reason for airports in the first place, and that’s where Don Driver’s mural should be. Steve Bone

New Plymouth