DEAR News Of The Area,

IN response to Margaret England’s thoughts on the Cultural Centre, if you stopped to read all the negativity regarding this Centre you might be a little wiser, instead of burying your head in the sand and bulldozing ahead with your stupid theories about how good this will be for the community.

You’ve forgotten one important factor and that is the cost which has escalated from $80 million to $150 million.

This is well beyond the financial capabilities of a town like Coffs Harbour, and the only people agreeing with you would be the coterie of your “morning tea friends”, not to mention the previous Mayor who sounds like a good friend of yours too.

It is misplaced loyalty I’m afraid as the Council and new Mayor we have now are bitterly regretting the decision to go ahead with this monstrosity, knowing full well that there is no money left over for the important issues for Coffs Harbour, like the unsafe condition of the roads and the lack of funds for sports facilities which are much more important than a new Library and Art Gallery.

If you ever bothered to go to the Library you would find there are no more than a dozen people in it at any given time.

As I’ve stated in previous letters to the paper, the only people using the Library are older people, as young people have their own digital devices to source anything they want, including all books.

Therefore the need for a Library as existed in the long ago past, is not necessary any longer, and as I’ve also stated, the Art Gallery could have been enlarged right on its own premises.

As for rejoicing in this hideous slime green building, where is your taste!

And as for your half a dozen people in the street that stop and say how wonderful this project is, that’s only six people out of 35,000.

Do your maths and take a closer look at our ever escalating Council rates.

Yes, bring that on!

Regards,
D WILSON,
Coffs Harbour.