Expensive - Northern Advocate - 28th August
2013.
In reply to P Lister letter of
August 23.
The Hundertwasser
Art Centre project
has created a division in the community and that could well have been
avoided. Do I
want it? It’s not what I want it’s whether you, or the majority, want it.
Any project for Whangarei needs to have the people
onboard right from the start. One way to achieve that is by it possibly being
either community initiated or to have given the people of Whangarei a
choice.
I don’t believe council has done this with several
projects and this can result in resistance to any new ideas brought forward as
has happened in this case. Council must be held responsible for the negativity
in this project for lack of allowing genuine community input.
If funding can be organised
by the group working on this project, it may well be a solution to this ongoing
issue causing a division.
From the many we have spoken
to, the ratepayers do not want on-going expenses falling on them for this
project.
I’m not personally against
this project but I believe it need not be funded by ratepayers, as many can’t
afford it. I wish to confirm that I believe the Hihiaua Cultural Centre is certainly a way to reflect our community.
Warren Slater
Maunu
Mayoral / Okara Candidate