City centre

Press, 1 June 1988, Page 20

City centre

Sir,—Of late Christchurch has been plagued by a plethora of entrepreneurial plans purportedly to enhance the city centre. The proclaimed admirable sentiments profess to attract tourists to visit and perhaps linger longer with us. Thexiatest such scheme

is the notion for a 250-seat cafe under and on the Square. Other notions, to name a few, were the tower on and carport under Victoria Square; Horticultural halls at Mona Vale; monorail from Harewood to city, not forgetting Parkroyal astride Victoria Street. Now, if all these schemes are for our city’s benefit, plus giving a healthy return to the entrepreneur, why do they not buy their own piece of Christchurch on which to make their profit? Why must it alway be on city land, and at ratepayers’ expense or convenience? But a one-storeyed glass cafe on the present vacant lot would, I submit, greatly enhance! — Yours, etc., D. C. SHEPPARD. May 27, 1988. Sir, —It is to be hoped that the cafe and wine bar proposed for Cathedral Square will go ahead, if only to set a precedent for the City Council’s leasing of public property for private gain. With this principle established, a main objection to the Victoria Square tower will be removed. If this latest project is given the nod, the cafe would be just the thing to accommodate the council’s chickens when they come home to roost. — Yours, etc., W. A. SUTTON. May 30,1988.