HOTEL SITE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 77, 16 December 1949, Page 4

HOTEL SITE

Sir, —Reading the article in Wednesday’s Beacon re site for proposed new hotel. I don’t think the “City Fathers” should be in such a hu/ry to send their letter of protest to the Commission. Tjhey should remember there are other people living in Whakatane besides themselves. Yours etc., H. A. BURGESS. Sir, —With reference to your account of the Borough Council’s attitude re the proposed new hotel, as published in the Beacon on Wednesday, 14th., it is most interesting to note that an unusual amount of “axe grinding” must have taken place. The businessmen’s concern over the travelling public and Mr Lovelock’s concern of the bar trade of the new hotel are most distressing, but I believe the crux of the matter is in the published, statement of the Mayor, quote ... “it (hotel) would help the town to spread towards Kopeopeo and the Council does not want that to happen.”

May I suggest that that was what the Commission had in mind when they recommended that site for the hotel. It is all very well for the Mayor and Council not to want the .business area spread to Kopeopeo 'but the crux of the matter is do the residents want their shopping- area on their doorstep or do thdy wish to travel up to'two miles to shop. Now, Sir, this is a matter of some moment, not *to be brushed off lightly. Whakatane can only expand one way and that is towards Kopeopeo. If the Council is going to ignore that then let them say so and leave it to the residents to decide in 1950 when the Council electibn comes up for decision. Yours etc., “SPECTATOR.”

Provision has been made in the new town planning scheme for an extensive shopping area at Kopeopeo. Ed. \