Strong objections

I have strong objections to all four of council’s development plans for Tongariro Domain. I particularly object to the very obvious parts in the plan that cater for extra car parking. The domain is the town’s premier casual recreational space and the presence of parked cars is the complete antithesis of casual recreation. It could even be considered to be quite blatant commercial activity in that the actual outcome could be to supply long term parking for the CBD as already happens to parking space behind the Great Lake Centre right now.

All four plans show a continuation of Story Pl through to the boat harbour. For what reason? Is it to link the CBD to parking space at the boat harbour? At the moment speeds in the domain are limited to less than 30km/h by the layout of roads and common sense.

A direct route through from Heuheu St is bound to raise that de facto speed limit and cut the domain in two interfering with the main purpose of safe recreation on the domain. In fact the safest way to enter the domain due to the four lanes in Tongariro St would be by car as it is now. At the latest meeting when questioned about cost the chief executive said “we don’t know what we are talking about,” meaning council doesn’t know what the cost may be. That is absolutely true, making a blowout almost inevitable. I have no objection to domain development in a well-considered and cost-effective way. What I do object to is domain development being used as a stalking horse for council’s desire for its office to be sited there. I W WALKER