Longawaited pool hot topic at Mosgiel meeting
IT was the turn of Taieri and Mosgiel residents to hear from and question the people wanting to represent them around the city council table.
A crowd of about 200 people, many with notepad and pen in hand taking notes, packed into the Taieri College Arts Centre last night to hear from 30 candidates standing for the Dunedin City Council.
Each candidate was given two minutes to make their case, then candidates were chosen at random to answer questions submitted by the audience.
One of the hot topics of the night was the longawaited $15 million new pool for the town, to which the council is contributing $10.8 million.
While a site for the facility has been chosen, it is yet to be signed off by the council.
Cr Rachel Elder said she was committed to getting the pool built as soon as possible and Cr Andrew Whiley said people should be swimming in the pool now, not waiting for council processes to be signed off.
Neville Jemmett said the pool was one of the main issues at the last election and he pledged, if elected, to make the pool one of his top priorities.
During the random questions, Cr David BensonPope was asked if he supported the harbour basin development.
‘‘I’m strongly in favour of the rejuvenation project of an eyesore and our waterfront,’’ he said.
The council had committed only about $15 million for an architecturally designed bridge and was awaiting a decision from the Provincial Growth Fund about further funding.
Asked whether she would represent the city or her own views, Carmen Houlahan said she would personally benefit from her commitment to more parking, but so would the rest of the city.
John Guthrie said the Mosgiel and Taieri community had a magnificent opportunity to promote itself and grow economically, in answer to a question about whether the area received its fair share of funding from the council.
The biggest surprise of the night was when Cr Christine Garey asked the audience to give her their No 2 preference for council and their No 1 to Mosgiel Taieri Community Board chairwoman Sarah DavieNitis.
The event was hosted by the Rotary Club of Mosgiel.