YOUR VIEWS

Review Te Uruhi

I'd delighted to hear that Kā piti mayor Janet Holborow is listening to the concerns of community regarding the Te Uruhi project (Kapiti News Oct 26). For a project with an estimated cost that has ballooned from about $4.5 million in March 2021 to $7.7 million in May 2022, a 71 per cent price rise, this is the very least the mayor and council should do.

As a concerned ratepayer, I urge the new Kā piti Coast District Council to review how this project, supported by the previous council, stacks up. This review should include but not be limited to:

■ community support for the project

■ the basis on which the original cost of $4.5 million was estimated

■ all costs and benefits — including the opportunity cost of not providing other facilities that better benefit the community

■ the financial feasibility of the project

■ a thorough risk analysis and assessment, including whether KCDC has the skills and expertise to accurately cost and manage to budget a project of this scale

■ whether the site of the planned Te Uruhi centre is consistent with the council's other positions, such as its declaration of a Climate Change Emergency.

In early 2021 the council estimated the capital cost of Te Uruhi to ratepayers to be $2.23 million and the annual operating cost $536,600 with DoC not contributing a cent. Council proposed to fund ratepayers' share of the building by charging a biosecurity fee of up to $10 per visitor. Break-even was optimistically stated to be five to six years.

The projected Kā piti Island visitor numbers used in council's business case provided for a 92 per cent increase by 2030. Current daily visitor permits for Kā piti Island are 100 for Rangatira Point and 60 for the north end with no guarantee they'll be increased.

Location is Maclean Park — foreshore property vulnerable to sea-level rise and coastal erosion. The planned 235sqm Te Uruhi centre devotes 160sqm to biosecurity (68 per cent) which would be used one hour per day when tours are operating, a gift shop and possibly a cafe´ /brasserie — in direct competition to local businesses.

Joanna Poole Waikanae Beach