Anti-tower lobby seeks support

Press, 26 August 1987, Page 1

Anti-tower lobby seeks support

Half-page advertisements will be put in Christchurch newspapers on Saturday by the antiVictoria Square tower lobby. The advertisements are being paid for by the Committee to Protect Victoria Square. The advertisements would have illustrations of the tower and a coupon to return, said Cr Carole Evans yesterday.

People would be asked to fill in the coupon questionnaire to show their opposition to the Christchurch City Council’s approval of the tower proposal. Cr Evans, who with Cr Alex Clark has led the anti-tower lobby, said the questionnaires would be sent to a private bag and would be delivered by the committee to the Mayor, Sir Hamish Hay. The advertisements were a bid to have the community let the council know how it felt about the tower, Cr Evans said. “We’re seeking the community’s support to have the council’s decision rescinded,” she said. “We want them to make known their opposition to the council decision to rezone Victoria Square to include a private corn-

mercial building on public land.” The advertisements would also

give an address for donations towards the Committee to Protect Victoria Square’s expenses in the campaign.

The committee was still considering the possibility of seeking a referendum on the tower, but the first step was to have the council’s approval — given at last week’s council meeting — rescinded.

The tower’s developer, Tourist Towers, Ltd, also plans some advertising. A Tourist Towers director, Mr Jamie Tulloch, said yesterday the company was preparing an information sheet for distribution in "The Press” and separately. The advertising would contain facts about the tower. The developers believed there was a need to publish all of the information available. Mr Tulloch said he received inquiries about the project and invitations to speak to various groups about it. Many people were unaware of the facilities included in the project and exactly what was involved.