Parking storm

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 586, 16 May 1995, Page 4

Parking storm

• I'm disappointed the eleventh-hour on-site brainstorming session didn't come up with an acceptable longterm solution to the parking problem occasioned by the development of the Powderhorn. Was that not an issue when planning permission was being considered for the project all those months/years ago?

Why the sudden rush for a sort-term solution, what has changed so dramatically? It is intended to reduce the greeensward from the Powderhorn to the culvert (I'm not sure where that is so need an on-site brain storming session myself) by some 20 feet (5-6 metres) and whilst I am unable to calculate that area it will obviously be quite considerable. Mr Workman says "there is a certain reality to be faced because people are parking all over the road and also over the green area already". As this is obviously illegal, stop them but don' t proffer that as a reason for doing something which does not provide a long-term solution. Mr "Spatial Constraints" Houston tells us the "Thames Street may be an option for alleviating the Junction parking problems but its not available to us in the next few months". Am I correct in assuming our Ruapehu District councillors, ignoring input from the Waimarino Community Board (according to Cr Bob Peck), contemplate alleviating a parking problem by promoting a solution which says "what we do now" as opposed to "what are the mid to longterm solutions". Surely not. I fail to comprehend how this can be "its really the best of both worlds", more gobbledegook from the CEO. What chance have we of getting that previous grassed area back again — in the mid term, long term or never. It is evident we need more brains and less storms.

B L

Maples.