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Crossing call supported
Anouska Brown’s efforts to get a proper pedestrian crossing on Mahurangi East Road, near Dalton Road, needs all of our support (MM Oct 10). For sure, we all see kids going to Snells Beach School having trouble crossing this downhill racetrack, as do elderly and infirm people heading for the Snells Beach medical centre on Dalton Road.
And for us people cycling to keep our health and fitness up to scratch, this spot is a nightmare. The road, at the traffic island where Ms Brown was photographed, has for years been uneven and the surface collapsing. The distance between the island and the kerb is also narrow. Frankly, I have lost count of the number of times impatient so-and-sos try to pass me on my bike when I am at this point, coming so close that the 1.5 metres space they are supposed to give cyclists is often in the order of 10 times less than that.
A proper pedestrian crossing similar to one in front of Horizon School, further up Mahurangi East Road, would solve the problem and fix the rotten road surface.
Come on newly-elected local board members, city councillors and our supposed “fix it” mayor, let’s get this job done ASAP!
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay
Message for a Mayor
Kia ora Wayne. As a registered engineer in Tai Tokerau back in the day, you and I were mostly on the same page. I congratulate you on succeeding Phil Goff and I look forward to you exercising the same engineering approach as in the past; taking facts and using logic to arrive at solutions, which take both physical and cultural aspects into account.
The biggest challenge facing Tamaki Makaurau is meeting our carbon emission targets and, of course, the consequences in the future if we do not.
You will need to get alongside both your new councillors and those who did not vote for you. To that end I wish you well.
Michael Dymond (MICE, MIPENZ, retired), Warkworth
Rugby brush with fame
My husband and I and two young grandchildren had a lunch stop at the Wellsford Park recently. While we were there, a coach carrying the Australian Women’s World Cup Rugby team stopped for lunch. The team had played the Black Ferns at Eden Park the previous Saturday night, and were on their way to Whangarei for their next game in the Womens RWC. Two of the team came running over to the playground area and it was delightful to see Arabella (Bella McKenzie) take the time to join in with some of the local kids playing basketball. Her team mate whom I believe was Iliseva Batibasaga enjoyed the net “swing”. I am not sure the kids knew who the players were, but we were very impressed that Arabella took the time to chat and play with the young kids.
Sue Smith-Kindred, Omaha
Global cooling?
The recently successful knocking-off-course of an asteroid got me thinking. Given the huge technological advances evidenced by the enterprise, would it not be possible to sort of prod the sun a little farther away from our allegedly globally overheated planet?
Those heavily involved financially or otherwise in the global warming industry need not panic at the prospect of consequential lower temperatures.
They only need swear allegiance to an inevitable upcoming crusade against the looming threat of global cooling.
The globally cooled era must, unfortunately spell the demise of some retail product lines. Sun screen lotions springs to mind. But dismissed workers, even dead ones, can look forward to generous government compensatory handouts.
Sadly, the ingenious world-leading campaign to replace farmers with more compliant politically correct pine trees may stall, but I’m hopeful scientific experiments in the race to produce genetically engineered edible pine cones may continue.
Auckland Council and the new Mayor should have first opportunity to fund my sun shifting scheme. After all, with the pedestrian bridge crossing and extensions to the already severely lycra-clogged cycle lanes off the agenda, Council coffers must be bursting.
Bob Sharp, Matakana
