Our Dunedin mayor shows leadership by wanting discussion on the proposal of running a loop electric bus or two buses around the city from university to the exchange and going one way down George St.
So you could transfer buses at the bus hub.
You wouldn’t have to hunt for a park and most importantly you would contribute to climate change.
Let’s do it.
Tom Phillips
Macandrew Bay
So now it’s now going to cost up to $250,000 for a resource consent to rebuild the old groynes on St Clair Beach. This appears to me to be an exorbitant cost for the consent, almost as much as the actual build cost to reinstate the structure.
Why is it in this day and age that lots of things that seem simple get so complicated, and often needlessly expensive with the involvement of consultants and bureaucrats clipping the ticket on the way? There just does not seem to be any good old common sense any more.
We are talking about replacing some poles and planks that have existed in some form or another on this beach for over 100 years. It’s a relatively simple structure, and the planning to get it rebuilt should be the same.
Steve Roy
Anderson’s Bay
More than minor work
Some more than minor work is planned for SH1 at the Leith Saddle and SH88 close to the stadium (ODT, 4.3.23).
A number of years ago there were two plans that I know of to enhance the road at Leith Saddle. One was to construct from the top, going towards Dunedin, two gentle curves to link up with the present road just above the overbridge. The other was to construct a tunnel of just over 1km length to go under the Leith Saddle.
Are these two plans now in the Waka Kotahi archives gathering dust?
On SH88 another golden opportunity has arisen to underground the unsightly overhead power lines, remove the ghastly power poles of various construction material, lopsided status of many of the cross arms and rusted light fixtures on top of the poles. Place the overhead transformer at a suitable place at ground level. Fix, or replace, what is just a joke for a fence, and tidy up the Black Jack Point Rhododendron Dell.
If this was done then about a quarter of the work of undergrounding the overhead lines to Maia would be completed.
What is good enough for Milton (work planned to underground the power lines there) should also be good enough for Ravensbourne. The funders seem to forget that the landowners and vehicle owners here pay the same uniform annual rates as the rest of Dunedin ratepayers. The same vehicle charges as the rest of New Zealand.
Or are we seen as a bottomless well to get money out of?
John Neilson
Ravensbourne
ORC remuneration
Would the Otago Regional Council please explain "regular remuneration package" and "additional termination payments" of $313,785 paid to its former chief executive, Sarah Gardner, who resigned "of her own accord" last May, giving only one weeks notice. Surely her contract included a notice period of longer than one week?
The ratepayers of Otago are entitled to know how this figure was reached and who approved same. Come on ORC, where is the transparency?
J. Patterson
Kenmure
Olivia Coleman in 'Empire of Light'
Empire should be reconsidered in a fresh light
Having read the poor review of Empire of Light by Jeremy Quinn in The Mix (ODT, 3.3.23), I went along to see this movie for myself with an open mind. I came away wondering if Mr Quinn and I had in fact seen the same film.
Empire of Light is a movie set in 1980s Margate. It focuses on a group of co-workers, and the storyline covers all the social ills of its time, which are still very relevant today. These issues are dealt with in a warm and compassionate way and there is humour too.
Our reviewer classed it as "schmaltzy"; I disagree strongly. The cast are all well-known actors who are reviewed as "out of their depth".
I cannot understand why Mr Quinn would make that assessment. I found it to be a well-performed, thought-provoking and entertaining film.
Marie Thomas
Waikouaiti
The critique in last week’s Mix (ODT, 3.3.23) nearly persuaded me not to see Empire of Light. Luckily I ignored it and today went to make my own mind up: it was wonderful.
The sort of film the Brits make so well: very nuanced; true to the period and so beautifully acted. A film that, while set in ’80s England, covered social problems and attitudes still alive and kicking today in many countries. A film well worth making the effort to see for oneself.
Anne Kempthorne
Karitane
BIBLE READING: I always thank my God, mentioning you in my prayers. — Philemon 1:4.
