In today's Letters to the Editor, a reader advocates for the return of a cable car instead of another cycleway. And a Christian viewpoint on Christmas is appreciated.
Better things to prioritise than Albany St cycleway
Such a pity it is too late to change one's voting preference of candidates for the Dunedin City Council.
I had trusted that a new team would get off its chuff and look seriously at the needs of the rating majority before appeasing the Lycra-clad minority with a figure close to $5 million to upgrade Albany St as a cycleway.
Does no-one remember the cost of establishing cycleways on either side of our one-way systems?
And has anyone waiting at the traffic lights done a quick count of cyclists on the other side of the expensive little row of traffic islands separating four wheels from two?
Last Friday between Stuart and Albany Sts, with two waits for traffic lights to change, I counted none.
Which is why the spending of $5 million on cycleways for Albany St makes no sense.
Yet it does having cycleways around our harbour for families to enjoy at weekends.
There is so much else in Dunedin other than the needs of cyclists that could do with a financial leg up, like the return of the Mornington Cable Car to High St for instance, whose counterpart in San Francisco is coining millions in tourist dollars, as well as revenue from fare-paying locals happy to leave their cars at home.
A financial leg up is vital if Dunedin is to further the efforts of the volunteers running a tin shed museum at the top.
As are the needs of other local groups doing their level best to attract visitors to this fine city.
Time, I believe, to sort out our priorities.
Lois Galer
Dunedin
Christian view appreciated
The Christmas Eve editorial (ODT, 24.12.25), was to me a superb summation of the relevance of the Gospel Christmas writings - the best I have read in many years of a committed Christian life. There is much to ponder on each of Dr Redding’s explanations of the individual stories, enlightening and enriching our understanding of what this may mean in our world today.
As each year passes, I feel increasingly despondent at how our society has gutted, ignored or discarded what Christmas is actually about. It is even difficult now to buy an actual (religious) Christmas card. Christmas has been hijacked by the almighty dollar with a constant pressure to spend, spend, spend through endless ‘‘60% off’’ sales and in-your-face advertising everywhere.
All that matters is presents and food. Instead of hearing the precious story of hope for the world and the challenge to act against injustice, poverty and discord, we hear only reports of transactions and spending, and even more advertising. You have given at least me the gift of hope that the truth of Christmas will again be heard by some.
Lynley R. Simmons
Timaru
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: letters@odt.co.nz
