Take away the takeaways?

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 681, 8 April 1997, Page 4

Take away the takeaways?

• I have spent a lot of time in Ohakune of late and wondered if you, or one of your readers, could explain something to me. In the winter last year there was a wonderful little barrestaurant at the junction called 'Bar Tribe'. We only discovered it latish in the ski season and were extremely disappointed to read in your Bulletin of its problems with the council . As I understand, it was forced to close down as the council were demanding an exorbitant amount of money for car parks. Maybe the council were going 'by the book' — who knows. What I fail to understand is, if the council are so hellbent on sticking to the rules, how can they allow an eyesore of a dilapidated old bus take-aways to remain winter and summer at the Junction. Surely it must be an embarrassment to Ohakune people to have such a heap parked in a place that I'm sure tourists and sightseers alike would be sure to visit. Several years ago we bought a section and approached the council for permission to bring a house on to our site. You cannot imagine the hassles we had with the council .

We had the hard job of convincing them that our houSe, seven years old at the time, was not going to be an eyesore for the community. Things have certainly changed, haven't they, if the council continues to allow a sight like that caravan to remain in a very public place. Why is it still there?

Lesley-Anne

Walker