Value in old, quirky, buildings
During the Invercargill City Council meeting on July 24 one of the councillors spoke about wanting to encourage more tourists to come to Invercargill.
We are immigrants to NZ who began our journey of immigration by visiting NZ as tourists on several occasions. Consequently, we feel qualified to say what we would be looking for as tourists to Invercargill.
We have to point out that no matter how beautiful a new CBD complex will be, it will still be a new CBD complex and as such will have many similarities to new CBD complexes the world over.
If we were to come as tourists to the city (as was up to a short time ago), the quirky museum and astronomy building, the water tower and the beautiful old Anderson’s art gallery would be places we would prioritise well above a new CBD complex, even if it had an art centre.
Older quirky structures are a big draw to tourists in NZ, especially if they have free entry.
The more things like this, the longer people will stay and spend their money in the shops, hotels and restaurants.
As we know, currently we have no access to any of these buildings and we don’t even have a tourist information centre, an absolute must for visitors to any city.
So we find it hard to believe the council seriously thinks that any tourist will do more than pass through this city.
As it doesn’t look likely any of these attractions will be reopened in the near future, if ever, and what is more it seems the CBD will become a building site for the next couple of years at least, we consider it ridiculous to even talk about tourism.
After all, we don’t even have any facilities our own families can visit for free on a rainy weekend any more so who would dream tourists will find any reason to come here? Priscilla Gear’s letter (July 29) suggests ‘‘budding scientists, sky voyeurs and the like’’ no longer have the ability to view the stars as the observatory is closed.
I would like to inform Ms Gear, and all those wanting to view the stars that the Southland Astronomical Society still offers views of the night skies, from the tennis courts beside the museum, on Wednesday nights as weather permits.
Due to bad weather, the viewing nights do change around occasionally, but if you follow the Southland Astronomical Society Facebook page, we will keep you well informed of when viewings will be happening. Just last week I attended Southland Hospital for day surgery to remove a cataract from my eye.
The whole experience was first class from the nurses doing pre op preparation to Dr Mark Rudel the surgeon and the follow up next day at the eye clinic.
There was no discomfort at any stage of the procedures and a very caring attitude displayed by nurses and surgeon, all in the true spirit of Fred Hollows.
We are lucky to have a world class facility like this right here in Southland. The person who shot two staffie pups in South City at the end of June has taken a lot of pleasure from the owners and grandchildren.
We teach children to love and be kind to animals – and you can shoot two puppies?
Puppies are like toddlers. They are playful and mischievous and trusting.
I was looking after the puppies while a lady was in Dunedin Hospital. The devastation I am feeling is just unbelievable.
I was prepared to pay for any damage that the puppies had caused their chickens.
I would like to know why they would not let the microchips be read by Animal Control and put our minds at rest.
That is why we got the pups microchipped and wearing collars.
They must have known these were someone’s pets.