The 1XX News Room stays winning and sometime I wish they could write longer articles. Obviously their journalistic skill is right up there and some stories require a TIME magazine-esque article.
This was a great story but I wish it was longer. It could be a great in-depth article for LOOK Magazine or something - someone make it happen!
Apparently the Whakatane District Council is about to sign off the Urban Growth Strategy. Sounds serious. When I was a little boy my father used to say that one day Whakatane would join up with Tauranga and we'd live in a city. In a childs mind that seemed pretty plausible and pretty exciting too. These days it doesn't seem likely or as appealing. The day Coastlands becomes Papamoa South, I'm buying a bach in Tirohanga Beach and starting up www.eyeontirohanga.co.nz - I swear.
But, it is inevitable that Whakatane will grow and unfortunately we have two things hindering the sprawl of our town.
The first is the fact that we have a moat around us. The river is basically the seat belt that restrains our development. We've built right up to it and there is nowhere else to go but across the water. What to do, what to do? Desecrate an urupa and building a Burger Fuel along from Piripai? Possibly. Put a bridge by Trident and turn Paroa into the next 'hot' suburb? Yeah bro. The other options are up in the hills around the dump and Hillcrest Cemetery - there is some great real estate up there but I truly believe at the end of the day we will find ourselves in the same position: having to build across the river.
The second problem is the whole N.I.M.B.Y attitude - Not In My Back Yard (Shout to Peter 'Toots' Tootell). Everyone wants a Burger Fuel, a ten pin bowling alley and a shopping mall. But do they want it next door to them, or on their street? Not on your nellie! Whakatane-ites need to figure a way to get over this so that we can not only get bigger but we can get incredible burgers and the best soy malt shakes money can buy from Burger Fuel. Let's pull together as a town and make this happen.
I propose we hold a meeting and gather ideas of where we can build in order to increase the population base, and the economy, of our town - but you can't hold it at my place.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
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2 comments:
Ahh the economy, it always has to grow... that fat bastard. Why can’t you just be content with how you are, why you gotta ask for more all the time? Are you not happy with yourself or something, is that it? Think getting a new pair of jeans for that fat ass gonna make all your problems go away? Things don’t go your way and you get all depressed and shit.
And what’s with you little town.. you’re going to need a stronger heart if you want a bigger body. You being bullied at school or something, are people trying to pressure you into being something you’re not?
“Hey Whakatane, you should be like Tauranga and Papamoa, have a global corporation buy up all your land and build houses that few can afford and gentrify a few areas along the way. Oh wait, what a shame… you’re being held back by “resistance from Maori land owners”(1xx)."
With more development come more jobs and less unemployment right? That means less social problems right? Then everyone can chill together happily at the Hub sipping their mochaccinos together after a successful day of shopping. It sure is a beautiful vision.
Watch out 2050, Whakatane is on its way!
Thanks for the rant space eyeonkope, liked your piece :) Though 1XX stays winning? I’m not buying that like advertisers wouldn’t buy adds with a station who’s news conflicted with their business interests. And LOOK magazine!? isn't that a real estate mag?
-m
That was fucking epic!
*slow clap*
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