Council site

I was surprised to read in last week’s paper that Catie Noble of the Taupo¯ Chamber of Commerce & Industry prefers to see the new council chambers created on the South Domain citing it would be wonderful to have the many council staff walking the CBD shopping in their lunch breaks. Our central commercial area can benefit just as much if the new council administrative offices take up the Roberts St frontage of the Tu¯wharetoa St carpark (next to Burger King). With the Northcroft side street close by, council staff could conveniently angle park all day on both sides of that street. The danger of placing the new council chambers on the Domain lies in the increased traffic through the Tongariro St Lights, plus a worsening CBD parking problem. At present many through traffic people stop over for a meal and an exercising walk around the CBD shops. Creating increased delays at the lights could well cause those many through drivers to divert via the bypass and utilise the outof-town cafe´s. Let’s not forget too, all those 6000 plus holiday home owners, who, during our many holiday periods seriously increase our CBD traffic traffic problems, making CBD parking even more difficult. There is a danger that instead of coming into the central shopping area our many visitors will prefer to divert to our fringe shops and out-oftown cafe´s. LES WINSLADE