South D library call frustrating, puzzling
You only need to look as far as the Dunedin City Council project title, "South Dunedin Library and Community Complex", for an explanation of why the community might feel betrayed by the councillors’ recent decision to rent out the upstairs space of the new South Dunedin public library (ODT, 28.12.24).
While it would be naive to expect such a large upstairs space in the new build not to have a proportion of commercial tenants in it, to make no allowances for community groups and agencies is disingenuous on behalf of councillors after such long community engagement.
As a member of the co-design panel for the original build proposed for the old Veggie Boys site, I spent many hours with other local community representatives and council staff discussing the design of this new community space.
The incorporation of community agencies within the community complex was a key feature of the build from the outset, as councillors should know.
If commercial real estate rates are set for the upstairs space, it is hard to believe that any community agency or grassroots organisation will be able to afford a place in the new "Library and Community Complex".
Council staff have worked tirelessly for years to ensure authentic community engagement for this project. To have council staff’s hard work undone so quickly by a handful of councillors, who appear to have been surprised by the cost of a well-planned and carefully budgeted library and community complex for South Dunedin, is both frustrating and perplexing.
Wind and power
Professor Duncan Connor’s comment (Letters ODT 31.12.24) is not strictly correct when he states that hydro power can be reduced on strong wind days.
Rivers still flow into lakes when the wind blows. This means large-scale wind power will cause more frequent hydro spills as water levels rise, given our limited hydro storage capacity. Spill events can be significant. On December 31, Lake Pukaki spill loss was equivalent to the power requirement for Invercargill.
The Lake Onslow scheme, if reconsidered, would offer an alternative approach for wind power.
The scheme was proposed with a capacity of 1000 MW, with alternating pumping and generating. This means it could provide the firming to enable 2000 MW of new Southland wind power, independent of existing hydro lakes.
At the same time, Onslow’s purchasing of power for pumping would set a market floor price for wind generation, giving better financial returns for any new wind farms.
Vaping call shocking
I read in today’s ODT (2.1.25) that our government is about to issue taxpayer-funded vape kits to adults who want to give up smoking. I had to check the date to see whether it was January 2, not April 1. At best, replacing cigarettes with nicotine vapes is just as bad. If their children see what mum and dad are doing, they are likely to copy. And how are mum and dad are going to keep their free vapes away from kids? The mind boggles.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
