Cr Gordon Brown writes:
Opinion: Not surprisingly, a majority of candidates at a meeting in Waitara came out in favour of completing the walkway from Bell Block to Waitara.
Mayoral candidates and councillors seeking election district-wide naturally have to win votes in Waitara so there is an obvious desire to tell people what they want to hear. It’s the nature of politics.
Just a few historical facts which might give pause for second thought:
- Originally the extension was along the coast and its projected cost was $8m. A great idea, good value, I voted for it.
- A few years later it came back at $24m and would not be near the coast. Given those two factors, I voted against it.
- The most recent iteration was at a cost of $39m. Public feedback for the 2024 Long Term Plan was overwhelmingly in support of it. It was passed 13-2, with only me and Murray Chong voting against it.
- Significantly, when the consultation forms went out, the officers were asked by Murray and me NOT to describe it as the COASTAL walkway extension. We were ignored and I still think it skewed the feedback results.
- The final part of the walkway extension saga remains unresolved. The cost is SO FAR up to $42.4m and some properties remain to be purchased.
In fairness it has to be emphasised NZTA is paying $18m of the cost. That leaves a mere $25.4m SO FAR for New Plymouth ratepayers to pay.
For the record, I wouldn’t care which part of the district the project is in. It’s out of control and any value for money has long gone. Surely it is better to admit a project’s cost has got out of hand, admit defeat and call it a day.
Or at the very least, pause it until Max for Mayor 1 and a few other like-minded councillors have fixed the financial issues and we can afford it.
