TOWN HALL ALL TOO FAR
The "old" Wellington town hall needs another injection of cash surpassing $150 million in order for its restoration and earthquake reinforcing to be completed. And we know this won't be the last big bill payable concerning this building.
It's simply not worth the money already spent, already committed and already signalled as being required "over and above".
The town hall needs private funding and this will occur if a Kirkcaldie & Stains-type resolution is made. Ditch the current plans but complete the restoration of the "frontage" of the building and allow for construction of a tower block behind the facade. It might be that that a private developer will allow for a couple of things that have been earmarked for a reconstructed town hall.
What Wellington city has in historical buildings and in a multitude of amenities. the region has too. So we are all affected by what goes on, what goes up and what goes down in Wellington.
In these times of great water and sewerage reticulation issues it is better that local councils concentrate primarily on infrastructure which is their core business.
Driven On The Akatarawa Rd Lately?
If so, its good to know you are still alive and reading this.
We have a function to go to over Christmas up that way and having heard a few hairy stories about the road, I went up there on Thursday to check it out. The road's ok, narrow and winding, but not much worse than a Wellington hill suburb. What was pretty scary was the behavior of other drivers. Three vehicles heading the other way at speed would have crashed into me if I hadn't been pulled off the road. I had pulled in to check the address when a truck came flying past, taking up all of the narrow road at speed. There is no way the driver would have been able to stop had they come around the corner immediately in front of me. The other two drivers came hurtling past as I had turned in to turn around and come back down the hill. They were also driving at speed and taking up most of the road. Coming back down I passed another car coming up and estimate that the safe speed to pass another car was about 30-35 kms.p.h. So, now we're thinking, do we go to the function or not.? Feels a bit like we're taking our life in our hands going up there. Drivers appear to be overconfident, and they are courting serious injury.
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