09/05/2006

Oto Holiday Park owners reply

In response to Mr AA Pip Willis' letter to the editor on Tuesday, May 2.
As owner of the Otorohanga Holiday Park on Huiputea Drive I am disgusted with your personal insult to myself, my partner Kelvin, my late husband Mark, and our children. Your personal opinion that the location of our business isn't suitable is just that,
your opinion.
We have thousands of guests who stay with us who absolutely love our facilities and the great location. They are able to walk to all the town's facilities and often comment on our fantastic cafes and shops and the wonderful service they receive. I have my personal opinion of the Kiwi Town Camp but I certainly wouldn't publicly announce my personal opinion, as this would be extremely disrespectful.
The issue with the leaseholder of the Kiwi Town Camping Ground and the Otorohanga District Council is exactly that, an issue with them and doesn't include me and certainly not any person who isn't even a resident or ratepayer in this district.
David Hall is totally correct in his comments that our holiday park on Huiputea Drive could easily accommodate all the visitors the Kiwi Town Camping Ground caters for. We are also able to expand our facilities at any time, so visitors travelling in campervans, with caravans or who wish to camp in tents, will never be turned away from Otorohanga.
I commend our local Lions Club and all the volunteers who had the vision and who put the tireless hours of labour into creating the Kiwi Town Camp and the Kiwi House / Native bird park all those years ago.
I have no doubt our local council are not considering closing the camp just for the sake of closing it.
Sometimes we have to move on and keep up with the times. If it means losing something small to gain something bigger then it must be considered. I have every faith in our local council to make the right decision for the majority of all residents and ratepayers of Otorohanga. Perhaps Mr Willis, you would like to become a local ratepayer or resident of our district and then you could have your say at the next local body elections.
Billy-Ann Gadd, Kelvin Mehrtens, Erin-Maree Gadd, Neville Gadd
Otorohanga Holiday Park

Happy campers

Re Otorohanga Holiday Park
I wonder if AA Pip Willis Waitomo News May 2 has ever actually stayed at the Otorohanga Holiday Park.
If he had, he would have found spacious, well kept park-like grounds complete with picnic tables, barbecue facility, childrens' play area and several specimen trees.
It also has excellent immaculately clean campers' kitchen, showers, toilet and television and games room.
Any traffic noise is not excessive and does not detract from the comfortable surroundings.
All in all, an extremely adequate facility and most definitely an asset to the town.
Three Happy Campers

Questions over section

Why give assets away then lift our rates up by eight to 10 per cent, as said was going to happen by Otorohanga district mayor Dale Williams recently?
To talk of values that applied 10 years ago is not commonsense as we all know how demand has increased.
If it does happen, I ask the following:
Who owns the land and building? Who is liable for the costs incurred? Who pays the rates and outgoings? Is the chosen family now resident in Otorohanga?
They didn't have to have five children - Government assistance is available as our taxes illustrate.
Who oversees the upkeep of the property? Who pays for all the upkeep? Too often we have seen such undertakings fall by the wayside, and become just an eyesore.
If the land is not needed by council, I say put it up for auction with the proceeds being available for more general use.
Don't Give It Away
Otorohanga

Reply: The Otorohanga District Council believes there is benefit in encouraging Habitat for Humanity to undertake housing development in the communities of Otorohanga and Kawhia. The Otorohanga Community Board has negotiated a site for one house to be constructed for a local family that meets the Habitat criteria. The project will take place about November this year and I would encourage your correspondent and anyone interested to come along to the information days that will be held leading up to the construction, to really understand what Habitat for Humanity is all about, or go to www.hfh-waikato.org.nz. - Mayor Dale Williams.

Out-of-towners will pay

In addition to the gold card membership introduced to Otorohanga Library last month, non-residential members of the library will pay a $60 membership fee.
Otorohanga district librarian Sarah Osborne met with council at its ordinary meeting on Tuesday.
It was decided that an annual non-resident membership fee would be added to the schedule of library fees and charges, which will take effect from July 1.
The $60 fee was set in accordance to what the average Otorohanga ratepayer contributes annually towards the library service.
The amendment is also in accordance with many other Waikato district libraries, including Waipa.